[AI] your questions answered
iPOD SHUFFLE PROBLEMS LOADING MUSIC Q. I'm having problems loading music onto my new iPod Shuffle. It's a really small model and all the instructions I've seen relate to the larger sized Shuffles. I know this shouldn't make any difference to the download process, butI just can't get mine to work. I've charged the iPod up before using it, and have brought up the Apple system on screen, but I just cannot transfer my music (which I've already loaded onto iTunes) to my Shuffle. I expect this is a really simple thing to do and I'm just missing an instruction or two. What doI need to do this sort this out? SANDRA PRIEST A. First of all, you need to make sure that you're using the latest version of iTunes. To do so, unplug your iPod from your computer. Now uninstall iTunes by going to Start more than Control Panel more than Programs and features. Click on iTunes and then clickon the Uninstall button. Next, reinstall iTunes by going to www.apple.com slash uk slash itunes slash download slash. Choose the latest version of iTunes to download, enter your email address and click Download Now and follow the onscreen instructions. Plug your iPod back into your computer via the USB port and look for the installation progress bubble at the bottom right-hand corner of your screen. Once this appears,you should be able to synchronise your devicewith the music tracks in iTunes. For further instructions on syncing, go to http: slash slash support.apple.com slash kb slash ht1351. TYPING MISALIGNMENTS PROBLEMS WITH MS WORD Q. I've got Microsoft (MS) Office 2003 on my computer and whenever I start typing in Word, the text suddenly jumps to a new line unbidden and in mid sentence. In addition,the initial letter of the first word on a new line changes to upper case. How do I fix this? HAROLD KILLINGBACK A. Many laptops have responsive mouse pads which are so sensitive they can be affected by a hand touching the surrounding area. The best thing to dois to dis able the mouse pad before you start typing. To do this, press and hold down the Function (Fn) key on your keyboard and press F. To re-enable the mouse pad, use the same sequence. Regarding your second query, this is caused by an AutoCorrect option which capitalises the first letter in the first wordat the beginning of each sentence. To stop this, open Word, click on Tools, then go toAutoCorrect Options and un-tick the Capitalise the first letter of sentence box. MS OFFICE 2010 MISSING 'CLOSE' SYMBOL Q. I'm using a Windows 7 computer with the Microsoft Office 2010 Home and Student software package. Whenever I open a document in Word, there's no 'X' symbol to close the file, only an 'X' to close Word. In place of the second 'X, there's a '?'. Excel functions as it should with two 'Xs'. What's gone wrong? GRAHAM BRYCELAND A. The 'Close Window' button is not in 2010 by default, but you still have plenty of flexibility in terms of how you choose to close Word documents. Youcan close a single document without closing Wordby pressing and holding down the Ctrl keyon your keyboard and F4 or Ctrl plus W. If two or more documentsare open, you can close the active document by double-clicking on the Microsoft Office button.If one document is open, this action closes Word. You can also change the default settings in Word so that you can have an 'X' button. To do this, go to File, then Options. Next, go to Advanced, then Display. Under Display, find and uncheck the box that says Showall windows in the Taskbar, click OK. COLD CALLING SCAMS REMOVING CORRUPT FILES Q. I was cold-called by a company who told me I had lots of corrupt files in my computer andthat the only way to remove them was to pay it UKP189. I allowed the company to remote access my computer, but when it said it would only remove the corrupt files after I paid them, I ended our conversation. But how can I get rid of these corrupt files and is my computer now at risk from this company. My computer is running very slowly and it's getting worse. It's nine years old. MARGARET CRAVEN A. Calls of this nature are scams, so please do not give any money to this company. The fraudsters behind the scams generally trick consumers by getting them to look at an error report. They achieve this by getting the unsuspecting user to install genuine free remote access software (RAS), usually from a company call Logmein. Once installed, the consumer then allows the fraudster to remote access their machine via this software. Once inside the machine, the fraudster goes to the part of the computer responsible for creating error reports, creates one which he or she then uses to scare the user into thinking their PC is riddled with errors which need to be fixed immediately. Every computer generates error reports, and even the healthiest will display harmless errors. To put your mind at rest, you should
[AI] your questions answered
FAULTY GRAPHICS DRIVERS Q I recently bought a Palicomp PC running Windows 7 64bit and a 512MB ATI Radeon HD 5450 graphics card. The screen frequently freezes and reports the error message: 'Display Driver 'AMD driver' stopped responding and has successfully recovered'. Disabling the ATI drivers fixes the problem, but also removes some functionality. Palicomp advised me to uninstall and reinstall the drivers, but this didn't solve the problem. A Google search for answers has revealed several other users of this graphics card with the same problem. Is there a definitive fix, please? Richard Thompson Palicomp has assured us that your specific problem is down to a faulty graphics card. It will be sending you a replacement card. However, since this appears to be a common issue, the following suggestions may be of use to other readers. This error message often pops up when graphics-card drivers haven't been completely uninstalled and Windows is still trying to use the old driver. First, download the latest driver for your graphics card from ati.com - but don't install it yet. Click Start, Control Panel, Program and Features, then remove the old driver and restart the machine. Next, type Device Manager in the Start menu Search bar to bring up the Device Manager. Expand the entry for 'Display adaptors' and double-click your graphics card to reveal its Properties. Click the Driver tab and jot down the version noted there. Click 'Uninstall' and select 'Delete the driver software for this device'. Click Ok and restart the computer. Allow Windows to install the generic ATI driver when it starts up, then head back to the Device Manager and compare the driver version numbers. If it's the same as before, you'll need to repeat this process. Install the new driver and restart the PC. If this doesn't fix your problem, check that any onboard graphics chips are disabled in the Bios. You should also update the Bios and motherboard drivers. MEMoRY UPGRADE ISSUE Q I want to increase the memory in my six-year-old XP PC from 1GB to 2GB to accommodate Windows 7, but keep getting Memtest errors with the pair of 512MB modules I'm using. I receive multiple error reports when I install them, plus stop errors or sudden shutdowns. The machine seems happy to run three RAM modules, but not four. Crucial advised me to increase the VDIMM from 2.5 to 2.7, which made no difference, and reduce the memory frequency from DDR400 to DDR333 (adjusted to 320MHz), which solves the problem. Why are these problems occurring and how can I run the memory at the correct frequency? Will I need to upgrade my motherboard and processor to install Windows 7? Charlie Horne If your PC has no problem recognising three RAM modules, swap them around to find out whether one of your four slots or Dimms isn't functioning correctly. (It's unlikely to be the original ones, since the PC was working previously.) If no problems are found, it may be that the new RAM modules are incompatible with the existing ones. Each module you use must have the same clock speed. Ensure you have the latest version of your Bios installed, too. Your motherboard can accept up to 4GB (4 x 1GB) of RAM. Consider upgrading your machine using four new 1GB modules rather than two 512MB sticks. This will be more expensive, but it will afford twice the amount of memory and ensure compatibility. Once you've successfully installed the extra RAM, you may want to consider a new motherboard - it's likely to offer better graphics and sound than you have currently. PRInTInG FRoM WInDoWS 7 Q I want to use my new Windows 7 Home Premium PC with my Canon i865 printer, but I can't find a driver for it. Harry Beard There is a driver available for your printer, Harry. Canon also has a Windows 7 product page for your printer ( tinyurl.com/2 grams j7rh). Choose Windows 7 as the operating system and English as the language. To check your printer is set up correctly, click Start, Devices and Printers. If your printer is listed, right-click it and select 'Set as default printer'. If it isn't listed, change the USB cable. As a 10-year-old printer, it's had a very good innings. We were pleasantly surprised to find Canon still provides updated drivers. However, it's unlikely that Canon will offer direct support for the i865. pASS IT ON: QUICkEN ON WINDOWS 7 In your January issue ( page 102) Edward Powell had a query about installing Quicken on a Windows 7 PC. I've had exactly the same problem, even using the final release CD that was sent out before Quicken was discontinued. The only solution that worked for me was to copy the entire Quicken folder from Program Files on an XP or Vista machine and use that. on the few occasions that I've needed to reset my Windows 7 PC to
[AI] your questions answered
EXPERT COMPUTING ADVICE CHRIS BYERS TACKLES READERS HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE CONUNDRUMS DATE DOES NOT TALLY Q. Each time I turn on my PC I have to reset the time and date, which appears as Jan 2006. Why can't my PC remember this setting? F Brocklehurst The most likely cause for this is a dead or low Bios battery. This will need replacing if your PC is to remember these settings when not powered from the mains. A new battery will cost you about ukp3 from any electrical store. Take your old battery with you to ensure you get the correct one. HAMSTER RUNABOUT Q. I downloaded and later uninstalled the free Hamster video converter. When I next started up the PC, I got this error message: 'Windows cannot find tmonitor.exe. Raymond Bisset Tmonitor is part of the Sony Ericsson PC Companion application. If it's been damaged during the removal of Hamster, you should uninstall it and then reinstall the latest version from tinyurl.com slash 6ykpl83. You can also use Msconfig. Type msconfig into the Start menu Search box and press Enter. Select the Startup tab and find and deselect Tmonitor.exe in the list. Click Apply and reboot. CLIPBOARD CONFUSION Q. Clipboard utility on my Dell Windows 7 PC regularly fills up and stops working. In the past, restarting the machine would fix the problem. It now refuses to work after adding only one or two items to it. Patrick Lowin We've seen several complaints online about Windows 7's Clipboard behaving incorrectly. If you haven't already done so, you should first install Windows 7 Service Pack 1. This is available via Windows Update. The Clipboard running out of space could be an indicator of low hard- disk space or not enough system RAM. You should treat 2GB as the minimum amount of RAM required for Windows 7 to function correctly; a hard drive upgrade - or moving some items on to an external drive - may also be in order if you're running low on disk space. Also note that there's more than one Clipboard. Windows utility can hold only one item, whereas the Office Clipboard can hold up to 24. Several free Clipboard managers are also available. If you're still experiencing problems, more information will be required for diagnosis. LAPTOP WON'T START UP Q. My 18-month-old laptop reports the following error message at startup: 'broadcom base code PXe-e61: media test failure, check cable PXe-mof: exiting broadcom PXe.rom. operating system not found. I can get into the bios by pressing f2, but I don't know what to do from there. Graham Shorter It looks as though your hard drive may have failed. It's also possible that the Windows boot partition may have become corrupted. Run the Windows recovery disc supplied with the PC and use the options offered. Do not reinstall Windows - you'll lose your data. If you still can't boot into Windows, enter the Bios and check that the boot order gives priority to the hard drive, followed by the CD slash DVD drive. Then try removing and reconnecting the SATA cable that connects your hard drive to the motherboard (see your laptop's manual for instructions). If this fails, call Acer and have it fix your laptop under warranty. If you no longer have a valid warranty, you'll need to buy and install a new hard drive, then reinstall Windows on it. Use a drive caddy to try to recover any data from the old drive. WORD'S GONE AWOL Q. Microsoft Word's main toolbar seems to have gone AWOL on my netbook. I can recover it by clicking on the Home tab, but it disappears as soon as I click on the document. I can't find a setting to prevent this. Peter W Emsely It may be that the toolbar (also known as the 'Ribbon) has been set to auto-hide. This is usually initialised by right-clicking any part of the toolbar and selecting the option to 'Minimise the Ribbon. To restore the toolbar, simply right-click the tab for an open document and clear this option. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I'M GONE? Q. My website contains the only accounts of several historical events. I'm 77 years old, and wonder what will happen to these pages once I shuffle off this mortal coil and fail to keep up payments to my ISP. Please advise. James Briggs This is a common worry for web aficionados. What happens to important web-based historical data that's maintained by people who are suddenly no longer around? You have two options. The first is to pass on the domain to a trusted relative who will maintain the website on your behalf. The second (free) option is to upload the articles to Wikipedia for all to see. For some advice on getting started, see tinyurl.com slash ydtuwsg. FAULTY GRAPHICS CARD Q. I suspect my five-year-old PC has a faulty graphics card, which produces various error messages and freeze-ups. the most frequent errors reported are 'Driver stuck
[AI] your questions answered
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED Expert computing advice Chris Byers tackles readers hardware and software conundrums INSUFFICIENT RESOURCES Q Whenever I try to connect to the internet I get the error message 'C: backslash Program files backslash Internet Explorer.exe. Insufficient system resources exist to complete the requested service. I'm using Windows XP and Internet Explorer (IE) 8.0. How do I fix this, please? Kirsty As the error suggests, Windows is struggling to run IE. This could be due to a lack of disk space, RAM or processing power. If you've previously been able to run IE without problems, try a little housekeeping using CCleaner ( tinyurl.com slash 673cywt). This will remove any temporary files from your browser, as it's possible that you've filled up the web cache. It will also delete other temporary files and your Recycle Bin contents, and clean up other parts of the operating system where clutter accumulates. If this doesn't help, use Task Manager to identify what's hogging system resources. Right-click the Taskbar and select Task Manager. Click the Performance tab for an indication of how hard your computer is working. Have a look at the CPU usage graph. Ideally, your CPU usage should be low when your system is idling (not running any programs). In the 'Physical Memory section you'll see how much memory (RAM) you have and how much is being used by your computer. You ought to have at least 1GB installed. If you have only 512MB, lack of RAM may be the cause of your problem. If you have plenty of RAM but the CPU usage is high, click on the Processes tab. This will show you the programs and system operations running on your computer. The CPU and 'Memory Usage columns indicate the programs and services using the most system resources. Use a search engine to find out which program each service belongs to. Winword.exe is clearly a part of Microsoft Word, for example, but crss.exe isn't obviously a Windows system file. If you find that a process is taking up an inordinate amount of system resources and it's a program that you installed yourself, either close it within Task Manager (simply right-click the program icon and select 'End Process) or uninstall it. It's wise to reboot your PC first, however, since it may simply be a task the program is completing at that moment that's causing it to hog resources. If you still can't get IE to start, try using an alternative web browser, such as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome or Apple Safari. SCREEN NO-SHOW Q My ViewSonic monitor refuses to display a picture. The LED blinks on and off for around 30 minutes, after which time the screen will often work following a restart. A local repair shop says there is nothing wrong with the hardware. Keith Sales The blinking LED indicates no signal to the monitor, and the problem could be as simple as your needing a new monitor lead. The cable pins and internal solder can become loose or cracked with no outwardly visible signs. If your monitor and computer both have more than one connection type, such as VGA and DVI, try using a different input method. Another option is to use a different power source for your monitor, particularly if a single plug is powering your PC and all its peripherals. Failing that, check your graphics card is seated correctly and that its connectors aren't bent or missing. WRONg WI-FI CONNECTION Q My wife's laptop and my internet radio happily talk to our Belkin N modem router on our wireless network, but my Windows XP PC insists on first connecting to a nearby unsecured BT network when waking from Hibernate mode. Sometimes it refuses to connect to our own network until I reboot the router. Anthony Hampson When your computer enters Hibernate mode it switches off the wireless card; on wake up it seeks out the networks it regards as the most accessible. Windows XP isn't the most wireless-friendly operating system, and it has problems correctly starting up hardware when waking from Hibernate. These issues have been fixed in Vista and Windows 7. As XP is no longer supported, you should consider upgrading the operating system (assuming your hardware is up to the task). You can get a copy of Vista Home Premium for just ukp45 at amazon.co.uk. In the meantime, change your settings to make your own wireless network the default, with no other networks available for connection. Open the wireless connection settings, right-click those you don't want to use and select Disable. Next, open the Control Panel and go to Network Connections. Right-click your wireless card and select the Wireless Networks tab. In the box marked 'Preferred networks, ensure your home access point appears at the top by highlighting it and clicking the 'Move up button as necessary. This will force Windows to look only to the preferred connection, ignoring the wireless connections you've disabled.
[AI] Your questions answered: expert computing advice
Chris Byers tackles readers' hardware and software conundrums. Games people play Q I recently got a new laptop and still have my old desktop pC. What would I need to do to turn it into a gaming computer? Will Cameron Rosemary Hattersley, associate editor, replies: Unlike a laptop, which is limited in its upgrade scope, desktop PCs can be more easily brought up to date for entertainment duties. More RAM, a better graphics card and a widescreen flat-panel display with a response time of 5 milliseconds or less are the main criteria here. If you wish to play the very latest games, you have two choices: one is to install a single high-end graphics card; the second is to get a less powerful - and equally less expensive - card that supports ATI CrossFireX or nVidia scalable link interface (SLI) and can be installed alongside a second compatible card (see Top 5 Sub-ukp150 Graphics Cards for buying advice). If you plump for the latter, you'll need to check your motherboard has an additional PCI Express slot and supports the technology. The manufacturer's site should tell you what cards your PC supports. For flight-simulators and other games titles that offer immersive, 360-degree environments, an extended desktop with a second screen sitting beside the main display can be a real boon. Graphics cards that support ATI's EyeFinity and adaptors such as Matrox's TripleHead2Go will even let you add a third screen. If it's a really old PC running Windows XP or Me that you want to use for gaming, your options are limited. A DVD drive, as much RAM as the PC can take and a screen that offers faster response rates will be useful for less demanding games. For both elderly PCs and laptops, however, emulators and online games are likely to be more satisfactory. You don't need much firepower to play Angry Birds or Peggle, but you may prefer to rediscover the joys of older platforms such as the Sega Mega Drive, Nintendo 64, ZX Spectrum and even arcade games using the Mame program. See How to play classic games on your PC (tinyurl.com/666 grams s2k). Data on tHe move Q I want to transfer data from a pair of external hard drives to a new 1.5-terabyte (tB) drive. How do I copy across the contents? I have an asus Z9200U laptop running Windows Xp. Cameron Carter As your laptop has several USB ports, you can simply plug in all three drives, open them in Windows Explorer and drag-and-drop the files from old to new. Once you're done, the old external drives can be kept as backups or wiped clean. Note that the process may take some time over a USB 2.0 connection. To maximise the transfer rate, do not attempt to copy data from both drives at once. sloW staRtUps Q When I turn on my pC it runs through the startup sequence until it reaches the Windows login screen. I enter my details and it then takes around half an hour for the desktop to load. the system is reasonably powerful, with an amD phenom II x4 965 processor and atI Radeon HD 5850 graphics. Mark Gillam There are several possible causes for this problem, Mark. However, the key thing to determine is whether the PC runs correctly and at the speed it once did following completion of the lengthy startup process. Windows may be trying to log into a network or network resource that is no longer there. Alternatively, you may have a corrupt user profile, or there may be disk errors on your hard drive. Run a disk check to establish the culprit. Go to Start, Computer and right-click your primary drive (usually C). Select Properties, Tools, Error-checking, Check now. Ensure the 'Automatically fix file system errors' box is ticked. Click Start and press Ok when prompted. You'll need to reboot the machine to run the automated disk check. It will fix any problems it finds. If you once had the PC set up to log into a network such as a Windows domain, or you mapped a drive to an external storage device that is no longer present, this will also cause problems when logging in. If your computer still suffers slow logins, your user profile may need replacing. Go to Start, right-click Computer and select Manage. Expand 'Local users and groups'. Right-click Users and select 'New user'. Fill in the details in the dialog box and give the account a strong but memorable password, then clear the 'User must change password at next logon' option. Click Create. The new user account will now be listed in Computer Management. Double-click it and select the 'Member of' tab. Click 'Add' and, in the 'Enter the object names to select' field, type 'Administrators' and click Ok. While it's bad practice to create new user accounts with administrator privileges, it's often necessary to do so to ensure access to certain applications and the old user account. Reboot your computer and log in using the new user account. It may take a minute or so to set up the correct folders and profile. Once logged in, you'll need to copy your documents and media folders from the old account to their respective
[AI] Your questions answered
Please note that unless I wish, my way of reading emails in MS OUTLOOK 2007 does not read the subject and from fields, I mistakenly responded to ashwani jassal's mail. I regret for my previous mail. PC performance Is my PC running as well as it should? The Windows Experience Index gives a rating of a PC's overall performance. Vista users should note that the ceiling here is six. For Windows 7, Microsoft made the sky the limit for how highly a machine could be graded. Anything from 4.5 upwards is more than adequate, but if you think one element in particular is holding back your PC, this will tell you whether you're right. It scores machines based on the lowest individual subscore, making it easy to tell whether more RAM, a faster processor or better graphics card are required. For non-Vista or Windows 7 users, the best advice for getting more from the machine you've got is to cram in as much RAM as the machine will take and the OS can access, archive to an external drive anything that doesn't need to be stored locally and turn off any startup apps and services. If your Windows XP or Me PC is feeling the strain, a thorough cleanse and a defrag, plus a reduction in the number of programs installed will all help. To check on suitable upgrades, go to crucial.com and use the free Belarc Advisor utility to take an inventory of the hardware you're running and to get a list of compatible upgrades. Stubborn files Why won't Windows allow me to delete a certain file? Windows is being unnecessarily protective. If Windows won't delete a file or folder, it's usually because an application or process is accessing it. If you were to delete the item while it's 'in use' (even if you're not using it directly), a program or Windows itself could crash. Nine times out of 10, the best way to deal with a file or folder that won't go willingly is to reboot your PC. Then, before you run any programs, try deleting that file again. It should go quietly. Software won't shift I installed a program and now I can't get rid of it. Software isn't always as keen to uninstall as it is to get its claws into your PC. This is particularly true of malware, but some programs are simply badly written. The Uninstall Programs option in Control Panel can be used if the software's own uninstaller doesn't completely remove it. System Restore is another way to remove recent additions. Beeping computer I hear beeps when I turn on my PC. What do they mean? Those beeps come from the Bios (the motherboard's software interface). Beep codes vary from Bios to Bios; in general, a single beep means all is well. If you hear anything else, check your system manual for beep codes. Failing that, an online search from a PC that isn't beeping cryptically should help. Most listings are divided by Bios maker (AMI, Award and the like). To learn who made yours, check your manual, call the seller of the PC, or carefully unscrew the case and look inside (if it's a desktop). Most Bios chips have the manufacturer's name printed on top. Missing Recycle Bin My Recycle Bin has disappeared. How do I get it back? Was the Recycle Bin ever there? Some new computers come with the feature disabled (and most users never bother to look for it until they need to recover an accidentally deleted file). Sometimes the Bin does get deleted by accident, or a third-party program or Windows glitch turns the feature off. However, it's usually easy to recover. Windows Vista and 7 users can click Start, type 'desktop icons', then click 'Show or hide common icons on the desktop'. Tick the box next to Recycle Bin, then click Ok. If that doesn't do the trick (or if you're an XP user), Microsoft offers a Fix-it troubleshooter at tinyurl.com/2vmuo3. If it doesn't automatically load the utility, scroll down and click the 'Fix this problem' link. Click Run now when the Fix-it box appears. Download destination Where did my downloaded files go? I can't find them. Downloads are easy enough to initiate, but often less easy to locate once they've landed on your desktop. Where they download to is partly down to the web browser and partly determined by the PC. Internet Explorer will ask where you want to save every file before downloading it. Chrome and Firefox, however, make the choice for you by default, which leaves a lot of us scratching our heads after a download is complete. It's easy to make either browser a little more co-operative, though. In Firefox, click Tools, Options, then select the General tab. Note the Downloads section, where you have the option of choosing where all downloads should go by default. Some people prefer to save files to the desktop rather than the default Downloads folder. Enable 'Always ask me where to save files', then click Ok. Now, every time you download something, Firefox will let you choose where to save it. In Chrome, click the spanner icon at the top right. Choose Options, then select the 'Under the hood' tab. Scroll down to
[AI] YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Expert computing advice Chris Byers tackles readers' hardware and software conundrums DiD Microsoft really call? Q i received a phone call from someone purporting to be from Microsoft. He stated that the monitoring system had discovered a malware infection on my Windows 7 Pc. He told me to switch on my Pc and he would show me where the files were. i didn't believe him, but what does this scam hope to achieve? Gordon Wells You're absolutely correct, Gordon: this is a scam. Unless you asked Microsoft to phone you - by logging a support call, for instance - it will not directly contact you. The scam runs something like this: you receive a call from someone purporting to be from Microsoft about a 'security' issue with your computer. They guide you to a rogue website or instruct you to download a piece of software. You should ignore the security warnings, they say, and run the program. It's possible that they will also ask you to pay a fee for the service. As you can guess, the software installed does some rather nefarious things, not least scanning for passwords and bank details. If you ever get a call like this, hang up. ViDeo Won't DoWnloaD Q i'm no longer able to download video clips to my hard drive, even though a 'Download to disc' button is displayed. i'm using internet explorer on a Windows Vista machine. Dil Williams You don't make it clear whether you're using a particular program to assist. Programs such as RealPlayer offer a video-download feature that indicates when a clip can be downloaded. Whichever method you're using, it's often Internet Explorer that prevents you saving it to disk. Launch Internet Explorer and go to Tools, Internet Options. Select the Content tab and scroll down to Content Advisor. Click Disable. Be warned that this will leave you vulnerable to malware when the video source is unclear. UPGraDinG to UsB 3.0 Q i'd like to use my three-year-old toshiba satellite laptop with a WD My Book UsB 3.0 drive. Where can i get a UsB 3.0 adaptor? Gabriel Mensah This won't be possible, Gabriel. Your laptop has a single Type II PC card slot, but USB 3.0 requires an ExpressCard slot. The new standard can run at up to 4.7 gigabits per second (Gbps), but you'll be restricted by the maximum speed allowed by your existing USB 2.0 ports: 480Mbps. Only the latest PCs with the correct expansion ports can run USB 3.0 hardware interfaces. riBBon VieW Doesn't sHoW UP Q the biggest change in Windows live Mail is the introduction of the ribbon interface. Why can't i see this? Douglas Shewan To see the ribbon interface you need to upgrade to the latest version of Windows Live Mail 2011 (tinyurl.com/39mcgac). Your current Live Essentials suite will be upgraded during the installation. JaVascriPt errors Q When trying to access certain websites on my Windows 7 Pc, i'm told i have Javascript turned off. How can i correct this? Terry Gibbon Head to java.com and follow the instructions to download and install the software. This should set up Java correctly and enable it to run in the background. If it isn't working, go to Start, Control Panel, Java. Click the Java tab and, under 'Java runtime variable settings', click View. Ensure the 'Enabled' box is selected. Boot ManaGer BaffleMent Q My laptop fails to boot up following the installation of lavasoft registry tuner. Windows Boot Manager advises me to insert the installation disc and restart. Windows partially restarts, then the same message appears. D Hubble You need to instruct your computer to boot from disc in the Bios or using a prompt on the Bios screen. Look for a message such as 'Press Esc to choose boot options.' Select the CD or DVD drive and reboot the PC. Look out for the 'Press any key to boot from CD/DVD' prompt and press a key to kickstart the process. Follow the instructions until you reach the 'Repair your computer' option. Click this, then choose Startup Repair. If Windows can't fix the problem this way, you'll need to roll back your machine to an earlier time using System Restore. easy transfer oPtions Q i understand that it's possible to connect two Pcs and transfer the entire contents of one to the other, including the operating system. can you tell me more? Philip Kershaw I think you're referring to Windows Easy Transfer, Philip. This requires you to connect the two PCs using a special cable, and then lets you easily copy across files, folders, email and settings. Belkin's Easy Transfer Cable costs around ukp20, but many other manufacturers produce them too. Note that Windows Easy Transfer will not copy across the operating system. Try a product such as Norton Ghost (around ukp40) to copy a disk and all its contents via USB (cable not provided). You can also use ethernet, for which you would need to purchase cables and, possibly, a small switch. To image a disk on the cheap consider Clonezilla (clonezilla.org). This lets you create an image on DVD or an external hard drive. You can also place the old
[AI] YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Chris Byers tackles readers' hardware and software conundrums. Sound haS Stopped Q I'm unable to get sound from my Windows 7 hp laptop. I've checked everything I can think of and have now run out of ideas. Bill Stevenson The loss of sound could be due to a number of things, Bill. Here's a troubleshooting checklist for you to try. Click Start, type system volume in the Search box and press Enter. In the System Volume dialog box that pops up, check that the volume is turned up and not muted. Ensure the correct sound device is selected. Some computers have more than one sound card, particularly if the graphics chip offers integrated audio. Click Start, type sound in the Search box and press Enter. In the dialog that pops up choose Sound, then check your speakers are set as the default and aren't disabled. Check the status of the sound device. Click Start, type device manager in the Search box and press Enter. Expand 'Sound, video and game controllers' in Device Manager and find your sound card. If no red crosses are displayed against its name, the card is fitted and working correctly. Remember to check the laptop itself for a manual volume control. This might be a wheel or a button. Ensure these are set correctly. Look for a mute button, too. Next, check that sound isn't disabled in the Bios. To enter the Bios, reboot the laptop and press F2 before the Windows login screen appears. All systems are different, but sound settings should be easy to find. If you're still without sound, try updating your drivers and Bios. Since yours is an HP laptop, head to tinyurl.com/2jj7p and search for the drivers and downloads for your specific model. If none of these solutions fix your problem, you could arrange for the manufacturer to repair the laptop under warranty; if this has expired, take it to a local computer shop. However, if one of the components has broken, rather than a bad setting being responsible for the loss of audio, your best bet is to pick up a USB sound card. These cost as little as ukp8 online. MISSIng ituneS playlIStS Q When I got my pC back after being repaired, everything that was on it before was still there, except itunes. I'm worried I'll lose the playlists on my 30GB ipod classic if I plug it into my pC after reinstalling itunes. Cameron Carter It sounds as though your hard drive was backed up and wiped in the course of the repair. Since your email and the rest of your files are intact, it's likely anything else that was previously on your PC will also be present - we simply need to find where the playlists are stored and tell the new version of iTunes where to find them. First, locate your 'Music' or 'My Music' folder in the Start menu. If there's a folder called 'iTunes' within it, back it up to an external drive or USB memory stick. Next, download the latest version of iTunes and reinstall it (select No if it asks whether existing files can be overwritten). The new software should pick up your music and settings. Unfortunately, unless you previously backed them up, you may find you're no longer able to play any DRM-protected audio files in your library. If there's no iTunes folder to be found in the 'Music' or 'My Music' folder, use Windows Search to locate the items that should be in there. It's also worth trying a file-recovery program such as Recuva (recuva.com) if this search yields no results. In future, back up iTunes regularly. Go to File, Library, Back Up to Disc and insert a blank CD or DVD. unloCkeR authentICIty Q You've previously recommended unlocker, but Internet explorer (IE) 8.0 won't let me download it. I managed to obtain the file using google Chrome, but Security essentials then blocked it and said it was a trojan. Russell Ellis Don't worry, Russell. Unlocker is an authentic program. We check and scan for viruses for every program we recommend. However, Unlocker seems to have been identified as a false positive (a genuine website that has been wrongly flagged as malicious), so you need to tell IE 8.0 to 'Disregard and continue'. If IE wrongly reports a site as suspicious, click the 'More information' link and choose 'Disregard and continue'. For extra peace of mind, download Unlocker from our own website (tinyurl.com/2fevefv). VIRuS on a uSB StICk Q as a regular speaker at conferences, I carry my presentations on a uSB memory key and plug it into the organiser's laptop to access them. In doing so, I believe my uSB drive has picked up some malware. In Windows it appears on the desktop as a green icon with 'keygen' written on it. It also creates a message box saying 'updatenetFramework'. If I delete the file it simply reappears. norton antivirus 2009 hasn't managed to eradicate it, and I now have the same message on all the uSB drives I use. Dr Alok Modi Back up any files and folders you require, then wipe your hard drive and reinstall Windows. You need to remove the files without booting into
[AI] Your questions answered
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED Expert computing advice Chris Byers tackles readers' hardware and software conundrums UPGRADE ADVICE NEEDED Q I upgraded my PC with a new CPU and hard drive, copying across the contents of the old drive with the help of a disk-copying utility. When I boot up I now see a screen asking which operating system (OS) I'd like to use, but I have only one installed. Richard Perez The imaging process has unearthed an older copy of Windows that's been upgraded or overwritten. A hidden boot.ini file tells the computer which version of Windows to use if it finds more than one. Because it doesn't know which OS you want to use, it needs to ask you each time. Right-click Computer, Properties, Advanced, Startup and Recovery. Select your OS from the drop-down menu under 'Default operating system'. Change the option next to 'Time to display list of operating systems' to 5 seconds. Reboot and ensure the PC starts up correctly. Revisit the Startup and Recovery panel and untick the box next to 'Time to display list of operating systems'. Your PC should now boot into your chosen version of Windows without prompting. For more information on the boot.ini file, visit tinyurl.com/yzzfxg. FULL-DISK WARNING Q I reorganised some files on my Vista Home Basic PC and am now receiving a full-disk warning. The drive has two 67GB partitions. I moved 40GB of files to D, leaving 31GB on C. I unsuccessfully attempted to delete the Winsxs file, which hogs 12GB. I've also removed 3GB of programs. But every time I reboot, the capacity used on C is still 31GB. Doug Pyburn A basic installation of Vista will gobble up 15GB of drive space before you've even installed any software or downloaded any patches, service packs or Windows Update files. It's also possible that your pagefile (virtual memory) is set too large, or you have a faulty program generating masses of temporary files or a disk error. Windows hibernation files can also grow very large, so make sure you're turning off the PC using the Shut Down option rather than Sleep. Don't delete any content from the Winsxs folder. This holds important files that are required for the correct operation of Windows and your installed software. Let's do some housekeeping and clear up what we can. Download and run CCleaner ( ccleaner.com). You'll need to close your web browser first. Next, move your pagefile to another partition. The pagefile can grow and grow if it isn't kept under control. Right-click Computer, Properties, Advanced System Settings, Performance, Advanced, Virtual Memory, Change. Highlight your second drive partition and tick the 'System Managed Size' option. Next, highlight your C partition and select 'No paging file', Set, Ok. Finally, reboot the machine. Now let's shrink or delete the hibernation file. Go to Control Panel, Folder Options, View and select 'See hidden files, folders and drives'. Clear the option to 'Hide protected hidden operating system files', then click Apply. Next, double-click the C partition in Computer and jot down the size of the hiberfil.sys and pagefile.sys files (you may need to hover the cursor over it or right-click it and choose Properties). To delete the Hibernation option, go to Start, All Programs, Accessories. Right-click Command Prompt and select 'Run as administrator'. When the command prompt box opens, type powercfg -h and press Enter. You may have to manually delete the hiberfil.sys file, however. To shrink the hibernation file, open the command prompt and type powercfg -h -X (where X is the percentage of the original size - for example, powercfg -h -75 reduces the file to 75 percent of the original) and press Enter. The smallest you can go is 50 percent. Windows Update files are another disk hog, but you'll need to stop the Automatic Updates service before you can delete them. Right-click Computer and choose Manage, Services and Applications, Services. Right-click Windows Update and select Stop. Navigate to C:\Windows and delete the SoftwareDistribution folder. It will be recreated (but empty) the next time you reboot the PC. Remember to restart Automatic Updates afterwards. You should also check your drive for errors, since the 'free space' information reported may be incorrect. Right-click the C partition in Computer and choose Properties, Tools, Error Checking. Tick the 'Automatically fix file system errors' option, press Start and reboot when prompted. To complete the cleanup process, defragment your drive. Click Start, Search, type disk and select Disk Defragmenter. Choose the C drive, then 'Defragment disk'. SOUND OF SILENCE Q Following a clean reinstallation of Windows, the volume control built into my laptop no longer works. I reinstalled the Launcher, but it hasn't fixed things. Acer expects me to pay for updated drivers. Anon You're on the right track, since hardware controls on Acer laptops rely on software as well as drivers to
[AI] Your questions answered
Expert computing advice Chris Byers tackles readers' hardware and software conundrums TIME CAPSULE Q My wife and I want to leave our grandson a record of photos, videos and family-tree data. Given the rate of change for all things digital, what media and file format should we use to futureproof it as much as possible? Pete DVD is a good medium for storing data, readable by computers of all stripes and likely to be in use for many years to come. While PC vendors may start to replace DVD drives with Blu-ray Disc and other types of optical disc drives, backwards-compatibility will enable DVDs to be read by the new drive. The DVD-burning utility on your PC will be able to create such a disc. If you want to give your grandson more than photos and documents to look at, assemble your media and add narration and/ or music using Windows Live Movie Maker ( download.live.com/moviemaker). Save the presentation in AVI format, then burn it to disc. AVI files can be converted and transferred to new media as needed. Microsoft Photo Story is another option, offering a simple way to create striking slideshows with music (tinyurl.com/48jvat). Store your original files on a removable drive, separating them from your finished multimedia presentation. TOOL TIME Q Please advise me how to remove the Security Tool virus from my Dell laptop. Dan Dickens The first step is to right-click the Taskbar and choose 'Start Task Manager'. Look for a process called [random numbers].exe on the Processes tab, then right-click it and choose 'End Process'. Remove any Security Tool files found at C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\ Application Datarandom numbers] and C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\ Application Datarandom numbers]\ [random numbers].exe. You should also delete any Security Tool keys stored in the Registry. Go to Start, Run, type regedit and press Enter. Delete the following keys: Hkey_Current_User\ Software\Security Tool and Hkey_Local_ Machine\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Security Tool. Next, remove the Startup entry. Go to Start, Run, type msconfig and press Enter. Check the Startup tab for [random numbers].exe and deselect any you find. Reboot your PC and update your security settings. If you don't have an up-to-date antivirus subscription, download Microsoft Security Essentials ( tinyurl.com/yewgwqn). Once installation is complete, check for updates and run a full system scan. DISC BURNING IN WINDOWS 2000 Q Since I reinstalled Windows 2000, my CD and DVD drives have become read-only, refusing to write to blank media. I've tried using Geniesoft and Paragon disc-burning software to no avail. Anthony Isaacs It may be that your CD-burning software isn't Windows 2000-compatible, Anthony. Mainstream support for Windows 2000 ended some time ago; extended support (urgent security fixes) will be discontinued this July. Software companies usually discontinue compatible products once mainstream support ends. Two free applications you could try that do still support Windows 2000 are CDBurnerXP ( cdburnerxp.se) and Deepburner Free ( tinyurl.com/3l3hv). If neither cures your problem, check for firmware updates at your CD and DVD drive manufacturers' websites. Also ensure all updates are applied in Windows Update - particularly to the .Net framework. Windows 2000 predates service packs, so you'll need to manually download updates from update.microsoft.com. INCOMPLETE AV INSTALLATIONS Q I bought a new PC and upgraded its operating system (OS) to Windows 7. I'm keen to continue using the McAfee antivirus software that was preinstalled, but its update download process stalls at 53 percent. Tech support has suggested uninstalling and then reinstalling McAfee, but this hasn't fixed the problem. I use a dialup connection to access the internet, but never had this problem with my old Windows XP PC, which ran Kaspersky. John Abbott I suspect the problem lies with the fact that you're using a slow connection to download updates: some ISPs terminate web access after a set time or download size. Launch Internet Explorer and click on the Tools menu. Choose Internet Options, Connections, Settings, Advanced and look for an Internet Time Out option; set this to Never to prevent your download from stalling prematurely. If you still have problems downloading updates for McAfee, and assuming you've already confirmed whether your ISP is restricting your downloads, consider instead using Microsoft's free Security Essentials antivirus software, for which the updates will be smaller ( tinyurl.com/yewgwqn). You'll need to uninstall McAfee first. SCANNING IN WINDOWS 7 Q I'd like to use my seven-year-old Canon CanoScan D1250U2 scanner with my new PC, but its driver isn't compatible with Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit. I can't find any new drivers for this model on Canon's website. The scanner works perfectly with my old machine, so I'd rather not replace it unless I have to. Derfel
[AI] Your questions answered
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED Expert computing advice Chris Byers tackles readers' hardware and software conundrums CREATING A PROBLEM Q I reinstalled Adobe Creative Suite 4.0 (CS4) on my newly upgraded Windows 7 PC. When I launch Photoshop I get the error message: 'The program can't start because dbghelp-xfw.dll is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem'. The message is headed 'Owl Orphanage Photoshop.exe'. After exiting the dialog box it starts up normally. I've tried reinstalling the suite and repairing both Photoshop and Windows 7 installations, all to no avail. A system scan reveals nothing and no other programs are affected. Ken Brown First, download and install Adobe's Support Advisor ( adobe.com/support/creativesuite). Also ensure that CS4 is fully patched. If the error persists, running Photoshop in Compatibility Mode may fix the problem. Right-click its desktop or Start menu shortcut and choose Properties, then Compatibility. Tick the box next to 'Run this program in compatibility mode for', select Vista SP2 and click Apply, Ok. Also ensure that your system files are correctly registered. Click Start, type CMD and, from the results list, right-click CMD and select 'Run as Administrator'. Type sfc/scannow at the Command Prompt. Selectively uninstalling any Photoshop plug-ins you used in a previous version of Windows may also help, since several users have reported incompatibilities with the new platform. Eliminating the unhappy plug-in should rid you of the error message. EXCELLENT ESCAPE Q I recently transferred some files to my new Vista PC, including a 268KB spreadsheet that now appears in Excel 2007 as a 101KB .xlsx document. I've been able to open this file and work on it without problems on several occasions, but the last time I tried it contained no data - yet it still consumes 101KB. Where has my data gone? Peter Attridge It's unlikely that the data has disappeared completely, Peter. But, assuming that the data isn't simply hiding on a different worksheet (check the tabs at the bottom of the window), you'll need to hunt it down. Also check that no workbook pages are hidden from you. Click the Home tab, then choose Cells. Now click the Format tab and, under Visibility, click Hide Unhide, Unhide Sheet. Double-click the name of the hidden sheet that you want to display. Note that you can unhide only one worksheet at a time. If the data is still missing, open the workbook and press Ctrl, F to open the Find and Replace window. Select 'Workbook' from the 'Within' drop-down menu and 'Values' under 'Look in'. Enter a keyword that you know is included in the 'Find what' field. COLD COMPRESS Q In A fresh Outlook (Nov 09 issue, page 104), Richard Perry was using Outlook but receiving error messages about compacting mail from Outlook Express. You recommended uninstalling Outlook Express from the Add/Remove Windows Components in the Control Panel's Add/Remove Programs applet. I have the same problem but I'm unable to find Add/Remove Windows Components in XP Pro. Harry There's no reason why it shouldn't be there, Harry. Go to Add/Remove Programs and look for the Windows components link in the left panel just below Add New Programs. FREE IT SUPPORT - GET LIVE HELP AT PCADVISOR.CO.UK/HELPROOM IPOD BACKUPS Q I've lost the music that was stored on my iPod. I'm unable to see the content either in iTunes or when the iPod is attached to my PC as an external storage drive. Terry Gibbon You don't say which operating system you're using with iTunes, Terry, nor which iPod you've got. However, I recommend you first uninstall iTunes, reboot the computer and then download and install the latest version of the software. Updating this application should prompt the iPod to seek out files previously stored on it and cause it to resynchronise itself with the library. Several paid-for iPod recovery applications exist, including Recover My iPod ( recovermyipod.com). Run a free scan; if the utility is able to locate your missing music files, you'll need to pay ukp24 to activate the full program and get your music back. If neither option turns up results, the next stage is damage limitation. Run a search for .mp3 and .aac files on your computer and check My Documents, My Music for an iTunes folder. You can manually reimport any folders and albums stored here, although you can't drag-and-drop tracks directly on to the iPod. It's also possible to log into your iTunes account and re-download any tracks you bought via the iTunes Store (you'll need to be using a PC that iTunes associates with your device). But you'll need to re-rip any CD albums originally stored on the iPod. ROXIO RUNAROUND Q I encountered a problem with Roxio Creator 2009 and was thereafter unable to play CDs and DVDs on my PC. System Restore proved a handy fix at first, letting me roll back the PC to before the fault occurred. However, this no longer
[AI] Your questions answered
Chris Byers tackles readers' hardware and software conundrums MISSING YOUTUBE Since upgrading from Vista 64bit to Windows 7 64bit I can no longer watch YouTube video. Adobe Flash Player isn't available as a 64bit plug-in, and I can't change my browser to the 32bit version. A Cutler Upgrading from Vista to Windows 7 64bit is more of a fresh installation than an upgrade in the traditional sense. Windows salvages as much of your previous installation as it can, but things can go awry. Although Flash Player is available only as a 32bit package, it'll work within Windows 7 provided it's correctly installed. Go to Control Panel, Programs and Features and uninstall Flash Player. Reboot the PC. Open Internet Explorer 32bit from Start, All Programs, then download Flash Player from adobe.com. The site will determine which operating system you're running and offer you the appropriate plug-in. Look for a pale yellow bar at the top of the browser and click the 'Agree and install now' button. Right-click the bar and select 'Install this add-on for all users on this computer'. Flash will now install correctly. You'll need to repeat this process for each web browser that you use. ERROR REPORT Upon booting up my Windows XP PC I'm confronted with a message that Windows hasn't shut down properly or that new software or hardware has been installed. Neither is true. Clicking 'Start Windows normally' or booting into Safe mode briefly displays the Windows loading logo, then returns me to the same screen. A Kirkham This message can be prompted by a number of issues; unfortunately, it's impossible to pinpoint the culprit without the error code. The following tips may help, however. Press F8 on bootup and choose 'Last Known Good Configuration' from the Bios recovery screen. Windows will attempt to boot up using the last settings that worked. If this doesn't fix the problem, and you have the original Windows XP installation disc, you can repair the system by booting from this CD and bypassing the setup screens until you find a repair option. Note that we're unable to use Windows' Recovery Console to fix the problem, since we don't know exactly what the issue is. If this method prompts you to enter the disk-formatting screen, don't go any further. Next, try checking for disk problems. These are a major cause of boot failures, particularly in older systems, arising from hardware and file system disk problems. Boot from your Windows XP disc once more or, if you don't have one, use a friend's PC to download BartPE ( nu2.nu/pebuilder) and boot from this - you'll find the disk-checking tools in the menu. If you're using an XP disc, enter the Recovery Console by pressing R during the setup process. Inside the console type chkdsk c: /r and press Enter. Allow the utility to check and repair the file system. It may also locate bad sectors if your disk has been damaged. If you still can't enter Windows, use the BartPE disc to connect a USB hard drive and back up your files. Now reinstall Windows. PARALLEL PRINTER Where can I get drivers to redirect printing from my parallel printer to a USB printer in the DOS/FreeDOS environment? M Wolff USB drivers for DOS can be found at either tinyurl.com/ypbhfq or tinyurl.com/ykwtylk. Both sites contain all the information and instructions you require to use a USB printer from within a DOS environment. JUST THE FAX new Vista 64bit PC doesn't provide a preview page when scanning 35mm colour negatives as my old XP machine did. I've downloaded the latest Epson 3590 drivers and reinstalled the software. I've also disabled all Startup programs using msconfig as recommended by tech support. Windows XP Mode doesn't fix the issue either. Colin Muzik Your scanner dates from 2005, two years before Vista was released. It may be that the generic drivers Vista 64bit uses to access the scanner simply won't offer that functionality. Your best bet is to go to Start, Search and type in Fax and scan. Use the Windows Fax and Scan tool to scan and preview your documents and pictures. MAIL GONE AWOL QI've lost all the messages in my Outlook inbox and can no longer send or receive mail. Before this problem occurred, I remember clicking ok on a request that I thought was about compacting mail - the term 'orphan' was used in the message, if that helps. I also get a message that says I am low on disk space and that I can't download updates. Are the two issues related? Helen Jackson Let's address the most urgent problem first: the lack of disk space. Go to Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs and uninstall any applications you don't need. Windows should provide an indication of what's not being used frequently. You should also clear your PC of any files that you no longer need and copy to an external hard drive any space-consuming media files that you don't need instant access to. Next, download and install CCleaner from ccleaner.com. Run the program to remove the
