COMPUTER TRICKS

2010-06-06T00:45:00.000-07:00

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2010-05-29T08:36:00.001-07:00

Find out what your Windows Hotfixes do

Every now and then my Windows XP automatically updates. Usually these are to plug holes in the system (as you know, Windows XP is a work in progress). But what exactly do all those hotfixes do? Well, I discovered a way to find out.

First, you need to go to your Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs. Next, scroll down toward the bottom and you will see "Windows XP Hotfix..."

Click the hotfix and it will expand to show "Click here for support information".

Clicking there will bring up another screen with a URL that takes you to a description of what that hotfix does (make sure you're online when you do it).

Now you can satisfy your curiosity when those updates happen. This also helps let you know if you have a security patch needed to prevent a worm/virus.

2010-05-29T08:36:00.000-07:00

Deleting Unwanted Programs

It seems like I get questions all the time asking how to remove / uninstall programs. So, here's the step by step procedure:

1. The first thing to do is click the Start menu, Programs. Then hunt for the program you want to delete. Oftentimes, you'll find an Uninstall program under it's program group.

2. Another way would be to click the Start button, Settings, Control Panel. Then open the Add/Remove programs icon. You'll see a list of programs that Windows can remove from your system. Just click the one you would like to remove and hit the OK button.

3. If neither of the above work, you can always go to the program's folder and delete it. However, there is no guarantee that the program was confined to that folder. It could have other files distributed throughout your computer.

4. Finally, you might consider a program like QuickClean. Once installed, it watches which program files go where and can remove unneeded files for you.

Keep in mind that some of the files that get placed on your hard drive when you install a program are basically updates to some of your existing files. So if you are uninstalling something and get a message saying not all the files from a program could be removed, it may be due to the fact that other programs also use these files.

2010-05-29T08:35:00.000-07:00

Win XP Time Travel

Have you ever made a change to your computer that messed everything up? A great feature of Windows XP is System Restore. You can go back to a previous setup without losing your documents, jpegs, emails, or other files. It keeps track of changes in your system and automatically creates what are called "restore points". These points allow you to travel back in time to when your system was more stable.

To bring up System Restore, go to Start/Programs/Accesories/System Tools then click "System Restore". You must be logged in as Administrator and make sure that you close all programs and save all files. Select the radio button that says "Restore my computer to an earlier time" then click "Next". The days in bold type are days that have restore points.

Select a day and click "Next". Windows will shut down then restart with the settings from the date chosen. Pretty slick, huh.

Even though System restore automatically creates restore points, it is a good idea to manually create one when you are making any changes (like installing Service Pack 2). To do this, choose the radio button marked "Create a Restore Point" on the first screen then click "Next". Give the R.P. a name then click "Create". The new point will be stamped with the hcurrent date and time.

If you run into any problems, there's a safety net thanks to this little feature. I don't know how many times it saved my behind.

2010-05-29T08:34:00.001-07:00

Check for Corrupt System Files

Did you ever have the suspicion that one of your Windows system files was corrupt? Normally, this problem causes lots of frustration while you try to hunt down the impaired file or do a complete re-install of Windows. Well, hold your Install Disks! There's another way.

Prior to Windows 2000 the operating system might overwrite shared system files (for example .dll and .exe files) when you install software. Overwritten system files cause unpredictable system performance, strange program behavior, and operating system failure.

If you're using Windows 98 you have a way to repair these files with the System File Checker. Here's how:

1. Click Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Information.
2. Once the System Info utility is running, click the Tools menu, System File Checker.
3. You will be presented with a screen that allows you to "scan all" to hunt for any altered files or to specify the problem file. Since you probably don't know which file is giving you the headaches, scan for altered files.

That's it. If there's something wrong, you'll be given instructions for repair.

One more thing, if the System Information program is not there, you'll need to insert your Win98 install disk, select Add/Remove, and select System Information from the System Tools section.

Windows 2000 & XP users: You will not find System File Checker in your system tools, but if you search for it you will find it as "sfc.exe". No need to run it though, because Windows File Protection prevents the replacement of protected system files such as .sys, .dll, and .exe files. If you do run SFC, you will probably see a DOS window flash on your screen for 1.5 seconds.

Windows File Protection runs in the background to protect all files installed by the Setup program. Any attempts by other programs to replace or move a protected system file are detected, then the file's digital signature gets checked to see if the new file is the correct Microsoft version.

If not, the file gets replaced from the backup stored in the Dllcache folder or from the Windows CD. If Windows File Protection cannot locate the correct file, it prompts you for the location.

By default, Windows File Protection is always enabled and allows Windows digitally signed files to replace existing files.

2010-05-29T08:34:00.000-07:00

Monitor Your CPU Activity

I don't know about you, but I'm a hardcore multi-tasker. Sometimes I'll have four programs up, two web browser windows, and some music playing all at the same time. For a while I had a real problem with my computer freezing up since I didn't know how many running programs were too many. Then I learned to monitor my CPU usage.

Windows 98/Me has a Resource Meter that puts a little icon down in your System Tray so you can always see what's going on. To open it go to Programs / Accessories / System Tools / Resource Meter. (If it's not showing up, you must dig your Windows 98 disk out of mothballs and add it.)

See the little green graph down in your System Tray by the clock?

Mouse over it and you will see the percentage of your CPU being used. Double click and you will get a more detailed representation

The more programs you open, the lower the numbers get. if you are down around 30% and try to save something or play a game, don't be surprised if you have a freeze up. With time you'll get in the habit of shutting processes down (like Anti-virus and firewall when you aren't even online) when you play games or burn CD-R's.

You can also add the resource meter to your toolbar by right-clicking the program in your Start / Programs / etc. then choosing "Send To: Desktop". Drag the Desktop icon to your Toolbar and there you go. Now, you can just click the toolbar icon to show available resources in your System Tray for easy monitoring.

To see how much RAM your programs are using in Windows XP just do CTRL+ALT+Delete and click the "Performance" tab. There you will find both a meter and a graph showing you how much RAM is being used by programs, among other things.

I noticed that spikes of up to 97% happen when I open a program (shows you why it's not a good idea to open programs when your burning a CD).

If you minimize the window, you'll still see a little box down in the system tray that displays CPU usage.

Double-click it and you'll see the full Task Manager.

If you find you are consistently over 80%, you might want to try turning off the firewall and anti-virus when you are not online and need to run a program that sucks up system

2010-05-29T08:32:00.000-07:00

Defrag Mysteries

Is your computer running slow? Is it locking up on you? Are programs suddenly terminating?

Perhaps it’s time to Defrag!

When you "defrag" your hard drive, you run a disk defragmentor program to optimize the placement of files on your hard drive. Here's what happens. As you use your computer, it writes to the first available spot on the hard drive. Over time, files tend to get rearranged on your hard disk, or fragmented.

If your disk is fragmented, when it tried to load a program, it may have to grab one file from the middle of the hard drive, one towards the outside, then back to the inside. The net result is that you computer runs slower.

When you run a defrag program, it puts the pieces back together, organizes them in similar groupings, so stuff loads faster. It's probably a good idea for the average user to defrag once every 2-3 months or so.

Warning - Be careful when running defrag. First off, it takes a long time (I usually run it at night) to defragment a large hard drive (3 meg or higher). Also, the defrag program takes files off your hard drive and sticks them into your system RAM while it's reorganizing your disk. If you lose power during a disk defragmentation, it can spell disaster for your computer. At best you'll mess up a program or two and at worst you may no longer be able to access your hard drive and Windows. Definitely not something to do during a thunderstorm!

History
Defrag began in the good ol’ DOS days as “Optimize.” This was a 3rd party utility that was shipped with the earlier versions of DOS. Defrag became a major utility with MS-DOS 5/6. It was faster than Optimize, had a Semi-GUI interface, and you would actually notice performance improvements after running it. Defrag has improved over time, but then it came to a standstill with Windows NT/2000. While Intel wrote the 95/98 Defrag, the Windows NT and 2000 versions were written from Executive Software's Diskeeper. Because Diskeeper was written for servers, it is a very “careful” product, which translates to “it is slow.” Unfortunately, its benefits are no greater than the Defrag written for earlier operating systems.

Enough already! Now, how do I defragment my hard drive?

First, you need to run Scandisk.

Windows 95/98/ME Users:
Click on the Start Menu then select Programs, Accessories, System Tools, then Scandisk. Select the drive you would like to check, then select the type of test you would like to run (standard or thorough). Finally, click Start.

WindowsNT/2000/XP Users:
Double click your My Computer icon. Right click on the C: drive. Select Properties then choose the Tools tab. Under Error Checking, click the Check Now button. A dialog box will pop up, check both check boxes and click Start.

A dialog box will pop up telling you, "The disk check could not be performed because exclusive access to the drive could not be obtained. Do you want this disk check to be scheduled the next time you restart the computer?" (I don't know why you would go through all of this if you didn't want to click ‘yes’ and why Microsoft held this over with 2000 and XP, but in their infinite wisdom they did! There may be good reasons to back down now but I can't think of any, so…)

Boldly click the Yes button! I guarantee it won't hurt a bit.

Now, on to the Disk Defragmenter

Make sure all AntiVirus software is disabled along with any background applications that may write to the hard drive which you are defragmenting.

Click on the Start Menu, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and select the Disk Defragmenter. Select/highlight the drive you want to defrag and click Defragment.

Easy as that! Now just step back and let her organize your hard drive. If only you could Defrag your house…

2010-05-29T08:28:00.000-07:00

Recapturing Speed

When you first purchased you computer everything ran fast. Now you've had your computer for a while and it seems like it just keeps getting slower and slower. You want fix your speed issue, here's how.

One sure-fire way is to do a reformat and re-install (NOT an exercise for beginners). If you've been running your system for awhile and have not done this, it may be something to look into. We ran a 3 part series on this topic awhile back. Here are the links to those pages:

Part 1 - Reformat and Reinstall

Part 2 -Reformat and Reinstall 2

Part 3 - Reformat and Reinstall 3

However, reformatting is probably a bit on the extreme side for most speed problems.

The most likely reason you are experiencing slowdowns (and possibly more lockups) is that there is too much "junk" running in your System Tray. It seems like just about every other program I install wants to put an icon there.

Each one of those little icons is actuality a program running in the background Some take up a lot of resources, some don't, but the overall effect is a hit in the performance dept. So, disabling all the nonessential programs in the system tray is usually a good place to start. See today's Tip of the Day for more details.

Another source for slowdowns is hard drive fragmentation. If it's been awhile since you've run a Defrag, now's the time. You can get to the Windows Disk Defragmentor program via the Start button, Programs, Accessories, System Tools. If you have problems running it, you may want to try running it under Safe Mode.

If you've shut down all the excess programs and done a defrag on your hard drive, you may want to consider getting some extra RAM. You can usually get 128 meg for under $30.00 - and adding more RAM is the best way I know of to boost your computer's performance.

Anyhow, there's a few suggestions for ya. Of course, the list above doesn't cover everything, but it's a good start.

2010-05-29T08:27:00.000-07:00

A Fast System Properties Box

Need to get to your system properties? Well, you *could* click the Start button, Settings, Control Panel, then open the System icon.

Want a faster way?

Hold down the ALT key and double click the My Computer icon on your desktop.

And you get this:

2010-05-29T08:26:00.000-07:00

Full Path

Have you ever gotten a little lost while using "My Computer"? Before you get buried in another deep directory, tell Windows to show the full path in the title bar. I know, it doesn't sound all that profound, but it really comes in helpful. Here' how:

Open My Computer (or any folder) and click the Tools menu, Folder options.

Click the View tab and check the "Display full path in title bar" checkbox.

That's it, you're only a glance away from knowing where you're at in any directory structure. Here's a sample of what your title bar (now new and improved) should look like when your hunting around in your computer:

My Computer -

My Computer is the basic file management interface of Windows. It's a single pane version of Windows Explorer. When you open it, you'll see all your drives and a few other system-type folders. The idea is to give you quick access to the main drives and settings on your computer.

You can use it for making new folders, locating and copying files, or whatever other kinds of file management your little heart desires. You can also open multiple instances of it to work in multiple directories / folders. However, at that point, you're probably better off in Windows Explorer.

2010-05-29T08:25:00.001-07:00

Shut Down Hang Ups

Do you have problems when the time comes to shut Windows down? Does it try to shut down and just kind of sit there, all confused and locked up? If this happens every time, or most of the time, here's some steps you can take to correct the problem:

1. Programs Not Closing -

This is probably the number one reason for Windows hanging at shutdown. When you shut down the computer, Windows tries to shut down all the programs that are currently running (both regular programs and those running in the background / system tray). If one of these programs stops responding, it can cause Windows to hang and not shutdown.

So, how do you fix it?

Well, the first step is to figure out which program is causing the problem. First, try to make sure everything is shut down before you shut Windows down. I'm not just talking about your regular programs, I'm talking about all that stuff in your system tray. Usually a right-click to a system tray icon will give you an option to shut it down.

System Tray:

After you end all the currently running programs, give it another shot. If things go smoothly, then one of the programs you closed is the likely culprit. You'll need to do a lot of re-starting to actually determine which program though. Start by shutting down one of these background / system tray programs and re-booting. Repeat the process with each program until the system no longer hangs. The last program you shut down was the cause of the problem.

If you can't get everything shut down (don't worry about the little yellow speaker), you may want to try using MSConfig to keep all these little programs from running in the first place. Just uncheck everything under the startup tab and restart your computer. Then try shutting down again. If that keeps it from hanging, it's likely one of the programs you just unchecked that's the troublemaker.

In order to figure out which one, you'll have to run MSConfig again, re-checking one unchecked program at a time and doing a restart. When it hangs, it's the program from two times ago, not the last time since you have to go through a re-boot in order to get it to run.

Here's an MSConfig how to:
http://www.worldstart.com/tips/msconfig.htm

2. - Windows Problem
Some versions of Win 98 actually had a bug (gasp) that caused them to hang on shutdown. If you're experiencing a lot of shut down hang ups, you may want to try the Windows Update feature under the Start button. Or head to:

http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/

A re-install of Windows may also fix the problem, but only use that as a last resort.

3. Corrupted Sound File
If you have a sound that plays when you exit Windows, it may be corrupted. Try getting rid of the shut down sound and see if that fixes the problem. The reverse is sometimes true for startup errors.

4. New Hardware
Yes, we're back to those nasty hardware issues. If you've installed a new piece of hardware and are having shut down problems all the sudden, you may want to look into updating the driver.

Those are the usual culprits. Keep in mind that if these shut down hang-ups happen randomly they are going to be really tough to track down. You may have to use MSConfig to disable certain suspect programs for a week or so at a time in order to figure it out.

And never forget - sometimes Windows can act odd (I know, hard to believe), and cause a shut down hang-up every so often. If these system shut down problems are few and far between, I wouldn't worry about them too much. Just shut the power off when that happens and re-boot. You'll probably have to sit through Scan Disk, but that's life with Windows (well, I suppose you could cancel Scan Disk when it start to run...)

2010-05-29T08:25:00.000-07:00

System Password Protection

*This tip is for advanced users only. If you try it and mess your computer up, don't come crying to me.

Password protecting Windows will keep most people out of your computer, it won't stop 'em all. I can get into a password protected Windows computer in less than 2 minutes. For obvious liability reasons, I'm not going to tell you how, but rest assured I (and many others) can.

So, what can you do?

You can password protect the whole computer by putting a password into your computer's system settings. No, these aren't Windows settings, these are your computer's motherboard settings.

Now, for some systems, this may not work. Your system will need to have an option in it's settings for password protection. If it ain't there you can't do it.

To setup a system password, do the following:

1. When you boot your computer, look for instructions for running or entering setup. They are usually at the bottom of the screen. In most systems you press the delete key and it enters setup right after the memory test. Again, this is WAY before windows even starts running.

2. OK, now all these setup screens tend to be a little different. You'll probably scroll through items using your tab, pageup / pagedown, or arrow keys (sorry, no mouse support here). Look for something about system security or passwords and head there.

3. From here, there is probably some kind of password setup. Select it and you should be able to put in a password (probably with a confirmation password).

4. Finally, exit the system settings. There should either be some kind of menu item or you just hit the escape key. Either way, you'll probably be asked if you wish to save the new settings, say yes.

Your computer should re-boot and ask you for a password from now on. These are probably the most difficult types of passwords to get through. The only way I know of bypassing it is to clear the CMOS memory from the motherboard, and you would need the specs on the board to do it.

For Windows XP users: your security settings are harder to bypass. If you want to require that users log in, go to the Control Panel , select "User Accounts" then "Change the Way Users Log on and off". If the "Use Welcome Screen" box is checked, click to de-select. This will bring up a password protected logon screen for all users.

Keep in mind that even this is not 100% foolproof. After all, if I really wanted the info on your computer I could always take out your hard drive and put it into another computer. Oh well, at least it keeps most people away.

2010-05-29T08:24:00.001-07:00

Save My Bookmarks!

If you're like me, you've spent countless hours locating sites that you find useful. It would be more than a little upsetting to lose all those hard earned bookmarks, right? Well, it can happen, especially if your hard drive expires unexpectedly or you switch computers.

So, how do you save them? Easy!

Explorer:

If you use Internet Explorer, just head to your Favorites folder, located under your Windows Directory. (The fastest way to get there is to right-click your Start button and select Explore. You'll end up, by default, in your Windows Start Menu folder, just scroll up to the Favorites folder).

Slip in a floppy disk, right-click the Favorites Folder, and select Send to, 3 1/2" floppy.

Unless you have several thousand bookmarks, they should all fit on a single floppy, no problem.

Netscape Navigator 6:

For those who use Netscape Navigator, you can export your bookmarks to an HTML file. Here's how

1. Open Netscape and hit the Bookmarks menu, Manage Bookmarks.

2. From the resulting screen, hit File, Export Bookmarks.

3. Stick a 3.5 floppy in and navigate to it via the Export Bookmarks dialog box.

Final Notes:

You should now have a copy of your favorites / bookmarks on disk. If you need to restore them, either to your computer or to another one, just replace the current files / folders with the ones you just backed up. Or, in the case of Netscape, import them through the bookmark management screen.

Note that if you replace a file that has bookmarks already in it, you may overwrite them with your restored ones, so make sure you're careful!

With Explorer, one way around that problem would be to re-name the file on the floppy something like "Old Favorites" and copy it to the regular Favorites folder.

2010-05-29T08:24:00.000-07:00

But I Already Uninstalled It!

Have you ever uninstalled a program only to later discover it's still on your Add/ Remove programs list? The program is gone, but its entry is still there.

When that happens, most people click the program, hit the Add / Remove button and end up with an error. And the program is still stuck on the list. It may have been removed from your computer, but its ghost seems determined to stay on.

So, is the program listing there forever? Can you ever get rid of it?

YES - but you have to play around in your system registry.

Before we go any farther, I want to say that messing with your registry is not for everyone and should only be attempted by advanced users. If any of the information below doesn't make sense to you, it's probably NOT a good idea for you to be trying this tip. So, do this only at your own risk. If something gets messed up, I don't wanna hear about it :-)

Here's the procedure:

1. Run your registry editor by hitting the Start button, Run, Then type:

regedit

Hit Enter.

2. Your registry editor should now be up and running. Now would be a good time to back up your registry by hitting the File menu, Export Registry. Just in case.

3. OK, now navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

4. Under this Uninstall folder, you'll see all the stuff that's listed on the Add / Remove programs list. Find the folder for the program that's stuck in your Add / Remove programs box, right-click, and select Delete from the resulting menu.

Now, go back to your Control Panel, Add / Remove programs area and you should find that extra program is now gone.

BONUS TIP -

You may have already figured this out, but there's another use for this tip. If you have a program listed in the Add / Remove programs section that you DON'T ever want uninstalled, you can delete its folder from the Uninstall folder list mentioned above. That way, you (or someone else) won't accidentally remove it.

Note that deleting the folder won't remove the program, just its entry in the Add/ Remove section of the Control Panel.

2010-05-29T08:21:00.000-07:00

Updating Drivers

Note - updating your drivers is normally a good idea, but in rare cases it can cause problems. So, as always, do this at your own risk.

How do you update your drivers? Well, depends on the manufacturer.

The most common (and easiest) driver update is simply an ".exe" type file that runs a little setup program. You download it, double-click it, the setup program runs, and it's a done deal. The most you'll have to do is re-start your computer.

Another way is through the use of an "inf" file. Some of these, when right-clicked, will give a menu option to install the driver. Others (most) inf files don't. You have to update the driver manually. Here's how:

1. Right-click My Computer, Properties.

2. Next, go to the device manager tab and select the hardware item you would like to update (Win 2000 users, head to the Hardware tab and hit the Device Manager button). You'll probably need to click the plus sign next to each category in order to actually get to a specific piece of hardware.

3. Right-click the item you want to update and select Properties from the resulting menu.

4. Click the Update driver button on that tab. A wizard will start and help you install your new driver. Click the Next button.

5. Click the "Search for a better driver..." radio button. Click Next.

6. Finally, tell the computer where the new driver file is using the "Specify a Location" drop box and the Browse button. If you're using Win ME, it will automatically start looking for the new driver at this point. If it doesn't find it, you'll have to tell it where to look.

That's about it. Once the driver is located, you'll be able to finish up with the wizard. You'll probably need to re-start your computer, but that's about it. Not too terribly hard.

2010-05-29T08:20:00.000-07:00

Instant Properties

Here's a quick little trick you'll like. If you need to get the properties for something (like an icon, for instance), just hold down your ALT key and double-click it. Instant properties!

Try it with "My Computer" or one of your regular desktop icons below.

And yes, I know that you can also right-click an item and select Properties from the resulting menu. I just thought this was cooler.

Desktop -

The Desktop, basically, is where all your icons live (stuff like the Recycle Bin sit on the Desktop). It's the "background" area you see when your computer first boots up before you run any programs. Here's a snap shot of my messy desktop (PS - The polar bear can be found in our wallpaper area):

2010-05-29T08:12:00.000-07:00

Reformat & Re-install Part 3

(Click here for part 1) (Click here for part 2)

CD ROM INSTALL

OK, at this point we've looked at making a boot disk, setting up partitions, and formatting your hard drive. You're almost ready to re-install Windows, but first you'll need to get your CD ROM drive working.

As I had mentioned earlier this week, some computers (especially newer ones) have a CD ROM driver built into their BIOS. All you do is take your "recovery disk" (as they're usually called) and place it into your CD ROM drive. Turn the computer back off, wait 10 seconds, then turn it back on. The recovery disk will run and help you restore your system back to the way it was when you first purchased your computer.

If you're not lucky enough to be in the above group, you may still have an easy way out. If your computer came with a full version Win 98 (and possibly ME) disk, you should have a 3.5 inch floppy boot disk called something like "Setup Disk 1". I'm not 100% sure on the name since I can't locate mine :-)

Anyway, if you have that disk, stick that puppy into your A: drive and restart your computer (make sure your Windows CD is in your CD ROM drive).

The disk comes with a "universal" CD ROM driver that will load, then it will start the Windows Setup program. Really cool, really easy.

OK, if you weren't able to do the recovery CD thing and have no clue what 3.5 setup disk I'm talking about, you'll need to install a CD ROM driver.

Most CD ROM installs are fairly easy, but at the same time they are all slightly different. So, I'm going to give you a very general outline for CD ROM installation:

1. Boot the computer. It should be at a C: prompt. Stick your CD ROM driver disk into the A: drive and type:

Press ENTER.

2. You should now be looking at an A: prompt. You probably need to type INSTALL in order to start the install program. You may need to type something else, depending on the driver. To get a list of the files on the drive, type:

dir/ w Then hit ENTER.

Look for an ".exe" program. Again, it's usually called INSTALL, but it may be called SETUP or any other name the manufacture sees fit to call it.

Anyway, type the name of the setup program at the A: prompt and hit ENTER. With any luck, the setup program will run and you'll be all set.

If you get an error saying that the setup program can't find the Autoexec.bat or Config.sys files, then you probably need to create them.

Stick in the boot disk that we made the other day and type EDIT at the A: prompt.

You'll get a nifty little program that lets you edit files. Right now, we're just gonna use it to make your autoexec.bat and config.sys files.

Hit the file menu (no mouse, so use your ALT key, arrows, and Enter key) and select Save. Make sure you're saving to your C: drive and name the first blank file autoexec.bat and the next one config.sys.

Try the install again, it will probably work this time.

The last problem you may come across is a missing MSCDEX file. That's the file the computer uses to run the CD ROM. Some setups come with it, some don't. If your CD ROM isn't working after a setup, it's probably because this file is missing (or your setup program may ask its location).

Copy the file to the root directory of your C: drive by doing the following:

If you're not at the C: prompt, type:

Hit Enter.

Now, (with that little boot disk we made the other day in your A: drive) type:

copy A:\mscdex.exe

That will copy the MSCDEX file to your hard drive. Try re-starting the computer and see if the CD ROM is now working. If not, you may need to modify the autoexec.bat and config.sys files. They are probably trying to find MSCDEX in a different directory.

To do this, copy the EDIT.COM file to your hard drive the same way you copied the MSCDEX file. Then at the C: prompt, type:

edit autoexec.bat

Hit enter.

The editor will run. Make sure the path to MSCDEX points to the C: drive only and save the file. Do the same with the config.sys file.

That should do it.

WINDOWS SETUP

OK, all that's left is to get the Windows setup running. Place the Windows CD into your CD ROM and switch to your CD ROM drive by typing:

Hit Enter (This assumes that your CD ROM is drive D. If it's not, use the appropriate letter)

Now, type:

setup

Hit Enter.

That's it. Your Windows setup program will run and all you need to do is follow the prompts. If you've come this far, I don't think you need me to walk you through the setup process :-)

2010-05-29T08:11:00.000-07:00

Reformat & Re-install Part 2

(Click here for part 1)

Reformat and Reinstall - Part 2 (FDISK and Formatting)

OK, in poart one, we looked at making a boot disk and backing up your computer. Next, I want to cover the actual formatting of the hard drive plus some info on partitions.

FDISK

First, let's look at using FDISK (you added it to the boot disk in step one) to set up any partitions that may be necessary. If you're perfectly happy with your drive partitions, then skip this part and head down to "Hard Drive Formatting". If you're not an "advanced" computer user, this part probably isn't for you either.

If you're still with me, here's the scoop. We're about to make all the information on your disk completely inaccessible. Make sure you have a backup of anything important before you do this. Once you run FDISK all the information on your hard drive WILL BE LOST. You've been warned - do this at your own risk!!

Before we start, you may have another option. If you purchased a hard drive, it probably came with a bootable disk that can help you set up your hard drive partitions. Those are usually easier to use than FDISK (they still erase your hard drive though).

Alright, you have all your info backed up and you're ready to FDISK. Here's what you do:

1. Shut the computer down, stick the boot disk you made yesterday into the A: drive and turn the computer back on. The computer should boot from your 3.5 disk to an A: prompt. Type FDISK and hit enter.

2. You'll get an intro screen, probably asking you if you want to use support for large disks. The default is "Y" so hit enter and continue.

3. You'll be presented with a menu that lets you create partitions, set active partitions, delete partitions, or view partition info. Press the number you want and hit enter. Here's a brief overview of what each menu does:

1. Create DOS Partition or logical DOS drive- Use this menu to add a new partition.

2. Set active partition - Use this to set the drive that the computer should try to boot from. Probably best to just leave it at the C: drive.

3. Delete partitions - Use this to get rid of extra partitions. You would use this if you had a drive that was partitioned into two separate drives and wanted it as one large drive.

4. View partition info - Use this to see the current partition info.

Extra Notes - Use the ESCAPE key to back out of a screen.

If you're trying to make a multiple partitioned drive into a single partitioned drive, you need to delete all the partitions on that drive first.

One of our readers had a good suggestion for advanced users. You may want to consider partitioning your drive off into several parts. One part could be for Windows, one for data (documents, spread sheets, pictures, etc) and another for a CD-R / RW data drive. Just a thought.

Finally, this was only an overview. I could write a book (or at least a chapter) on using FDISK, but the above is all our space and time permits. FDISK should only be used by those of you who are fairly advanced with a computer. If you want to mess with disk partitions and are not comfortable with FDISK, have a computer guru friend come over and help.

Remember, if you use FDISK improperly, it's not the end of the world.
Most FDISK problems can be solved by a trip to your local computer store and a few hundred bucks :-)

HARD DRIVE FORMATTING

OK, all your partitions are set, you're ready to format your drive. Fortunately, this is fairly easy.

REMEMBER - this will erase everything on your C: drive!!!! Backup anything important before doing this! Of course, do this at your own risk. (I feel all disclaimered out now)

1. Shut your system down, place your boot disk into the computer's A: drive, and turn the machine on. It will boot to an A: prompt.

2. If you're 100% sure all your info is safely backed up, type the line below at the A: prompt:

format C: /s That's the word "format", a space, "C:", a space, and "/s"

That tells the computer to format the C: drive as a bootable drive.

3. You will be asked to confirm, do so, and you're all set.

(At the prompt in the picture you would type "y" then hit Enter to start formatting)

Tomorrow we'll finish this up with CD ROM install instructions and basic Windows setup.

2010-05-29T08:08:00.000-07:00

Re-format & Re-install

This series covers the basic steps of reformatting your hard drive and re-installing Windows. Now, this is not for the digitally squeamish and it's defiantly one of those do-at-your-own-risk deals. It's not intended for novices and should not be attempted unless you are fairly comfortable with DOS (if you have to ask what DOS is, than skip this tip).

A final warning - This is a general procedure so you may run into unforeseen problems. You may be able to get answers to problems at the message board, but don't come cryin' to me - You've been warned!!

OK, before we start any kind of disk formatting, we need to back up all the important info on your computer. I usually copy everything to my CD-R or a few zip disks. I generally only back up stuff that I created. I don't backup programs I have on disk, I re-install those. Make sure you get everything that's important to you backed up (maybe twice) because after we're done formatting the disk it will be COMPLETELY GONE!

Next, you'll want a boot disk. Even if you don't think you'll need it you should still have it, just in case.

To make a boot disk for win 95/98, (not a Windows recovery disk) follow these steps:

1. Open My Computer, insert a 3.5 floppy into your Drive A: and right-click the icon for your A: drive. Select Format from the resulting menu.

2. Select Full format and check the "Copy system files box". Then hit Start to format the disk.

> Note that if you are using Win ME that the above little trick won't work. You'll need to go to your Start button, Settings, Control Panel. Open up the Add/Remove programs icon. From there, click the Startup Disk tab and create a new startup disk.<<

You should now have a bootable disk. You'll probably want to copy the following files to it:

EDIT.COM (you may need this to create or edit DOS files- this should be there if you made a Win ME recovery disk)

FORMAT.COM (for disk formatting)

FDISK.EXE (you'll lean about FDISK tomorrow- this should be there if you made a Win ME recovery disk)

MSCDEX.EXE (you may need this for your CD ROM)

All the above files should be under your C:\Windows\Command\ directory.

If not, use the Find feature to locate them (Start button, "Find" or "Search", depending on what version of Windows you have) . Once you find the files, right-click them and select Send to, 3 1/2 Floppy (A).

Here's some other stuff you'll want handy:

- Your CD ROM driver

- Your Windows CD

- Your Windows Setup Disk 1 (it's a floppy that you may have if you have a full version of Win 98. It's not 100% necessary, but it does have a CD ROM driver built into it if you don't have one).

Please note - You need to be 100% sure you can get your CD ROM to

work after you format your drive. Windows has built in CD ROM divers, DOS doesn't. If you can't get your CD ROM to work, you aren't going to be installing Windows until you do!!

Speaking of Windows, make sure that you have the Full Version of Windows on CD. If you only have an upgrade version, you'll need to find an older version before you can install.

Some versions of Windows will let you use an upgrade CD to install the full version, so long as you have an older version (either upgrade or full) on CD to prove you are upgrading. Some versions will force you to install an older version first, then upgrade it from there. Why? Cuz that's how Microsoft is.

Also, some computers have a built in BIOS CD ROM driver that checks for a "Recovery Disk" when you boot up. If your computer has this feature, you should be all set. More on that later.

2010-05-29T08:07:00.000-07:00

Disk Reformatting

You can re-format any disk from Windows, as long as Windows isn't on the disk you're trying to reformat. We'll use a 3.5 floppy (A: drive) for the example below, but it would work with a zip disk or hard drive just as easily.

Remember, if you format a disk all the information on the disk will be lost, so be careful!

1. Insert the 3.5 inch disk you wish to format into your A: drive.

2. Open "My Computer" and right-click your A: drive. Select "Format..." from the resulting menu.

3. A screen will pop up that gives you a choice of formatting options.

-"Quick" format just erases what's on the disk. It's like a quick delete, but it not a "real" format.

-"Full" formats the disk properly (probably your best choice).

-"Copy system files only" makes the disk bootable but it DOES NOT erase the contents of the disk (it's not a "real" format). Note that this option does not show up on win ME or in Win 2000.

4. As if that wasn't enough, you have a few more choices to make under the Other Options section.

-If you would like a label on the disk (a name that is displayed when you view the disk's properties) then enter it in the box.

-If you would like a summary once the format is complete, make sure that box is checked.

-Finally, if you would like to make the disk bootable, make sure that the "Copy system files" box is checked.

5. To finish the job, hit the little Start button next to the Capacity drop down box.

That's it. You've just formatted a disk.

2010-05-29T08:05:00.001-07:00

Scan Disk & Defrag

When was the last time you ran Scandisk or did a Defrag? Don't know huh?
Well, there's an easy way to find out!

Open the My computer icon and right-click your hard drive. Select
Properties from the resulting menu. You'll be presented with a tabbed
screen.

If you click the Tools tab, you'll get some options that not only tell you
when the last time you did the maintenance tasks described above, but allow
you to do them now.

Note that the "error checking status" button shown below activates Scan Disk.

2010-05-29T08:05:00.000-07:00

What's My Code?

This tip accesses the registry and MUST be used with extreme care.

Ever notice how Microsoft likes to put "product keys" on all their software? Well, what do you do if you've lost yours and you need re-install the software? I suppose you could call Microsoft and ask them to help.

Yeah right!

Here's another solution. If the program is still on your machine (or at least still has entries in your registry), there may be hope. The info you need may be tucked away in the Windows Registry!

Here's how to find it:

1. Click the Start button, Run. Type in regedit and click OK. Your registry editor program will start.

2. Next, head to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\Microsoft

Make sure you open (double-click) the Microsoft folder.

Now, scroll down to the program you want to re-install. Double-click its folder and look for another folder called "Current Version".

Double-click that and look for an entry for "ProductKey" or "ProductId" in the right window pane. If you find it, you've found your code!

It can be a bit of a pain to hunt through the registry like this, but at least you don't have to buy the software again!

2010-05-29T08:04:00.000-07:00

Windows Updates

If you're running a newer version of Windows, you've probably noticed the Windows Update item when you press your Start button. What is that all about?

Windows update is actually a really cool little feature. You know how Windows tends to have a few bugs? Well, these updates take care of bugs, security holes, and lots of other problematic stuff. Who knows, if you're having problems, this may actually cure them!

OK, if you're NOT running XP (see below for XP instructions), click the Windows Update item in your Start menu and it takes you to Microsoft's web site.

If you don't have the little Windows Update item on your Start menu, don't worry. You can still get up to date by following the link below:

http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/

Once you get to the site, you'll be asked if you want to install a plug-in.

Say yes.

From there, your computer will be analyzed and you'll get a list of updates you can install. Oh, for those who are worried, supposedly no information is sent to Microsoft during the analysis. It's just you between you and their software. So, if you are using a "borrowed" copy of Windows you should be OK doing this :-)

Anyhow, once your computer has been analyzed, you'll get a list of available updates. Just check the ones you want and then click the Download button. Keep a really good eye on the file sizes - not the download time. If you're connecting with a dial-up connection I would allow about 6 -8 minutes for each 1000K (MS tends to think in terms of high speed connections when they give you their estimated times - sometimes).

What updates should you get? Well, grab any critical updates for sure. Then scroll down the list and see if you spot anything else that looks useful. Don't just grab stuff cuz it's free - you may just be taking up hard drive space for no reason.

Anyhow, once you hit the download button, you'll get a screen that shows you the progress of both the download and the install. You'll probably have to re-start after all this is over with, but that's about it.

XP Users

For XP Users, the process is a bit more streamlined. In fact, it should ask you via a little bubble in the system tray if you want to check for updates. After you've done this, you should be able to set things up so updates are checked for automatically and you just say "yes" when you want to download.

Note that not all the updates are downloaded with the automatic option though. By default, it's only the critical updates. So, you may want to use the following method too:

To manually pick and choose your updates, just click the Start button, Help & Support. Click the link for "Keep your computer up-to-date with Windows Update" under the Pick A Task category.

From here, your computer will be analyzed, examined, poked, and prodded. Oh, for those who are worried, supposedly no information is sent to Microsoft during the analysis. It's just you between you and their software.

Once this analysis is over, you'll get a link that lets you review and install. Click that.

The updates come in 3 different categories (Critical, Windows, and Driver) and these are listed on the left under the Windows Update column.

Click a category and choose the updates you want to add. What updates should you get? Well, grab any critical updates for sure. Then scroll down the list and see if you spot anything else that looks useful. Don't just grab stuff cuz it's free - you may just be taking up hard drive space for no reason.

Once you're done picking updates, click the Review and Install link on the left.

Hit the Install Now button and the updates will be downloaded and installed.

Yeah, it seems longer and more involved than the win 9.x way, but it is more intuitive and it feels a bit easier.

2010-05-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

Software Install Guide

It happens all the time. You purchase a new piece of software and go to install it. Part way through the process, everything locks up, you get an error, or things just plain old don't work.

Or maybe it installs just fine, but when you go to run it, you end up with either an error message or nothing happens.

What can you do?

Well, for trouble installing, read on. For problems after the install, click here

Running the setup program

Most people expect the CD to automatically run when they put it in the CD ROM drive. Unfortunately, not every manufacturer out there has an "autorun" file on the CD, so sometimes you'll need to activate the setup program yourself.

With the CD in the drive, open the My Computer icon on your desktop and then the CD ROM. Find a program labeled Setup or Setup.exe and click it.

Avoid any conflicts

The most common reason for a piece of software not installing is that another program is interfering with it.

In order to make sure that isn't happening, shut down all the stuff in your system tray. Usually if you right-click an icon with your mouse you'll get a menu that lets you shut it down.

After you have a "clean" system tray, try running the install program again and see if it goes.

Note that anti-virus programs can sometimes cause a problem, so you may want to disable any anti-virus protection you have running - if you're installing from a CD ROM.

If you're installing from an Internet download is not a good idea to do so without your anti-virus software running, so only do it if you're 110% sure the file doesn't contain a virus.

If you are still having problems, you may have something else running in the background. Hit CTRL-ALT-DEL and shut down (end task) everything but Explorer and Systray.

You may run into another program or two that will shut the whole works down, so pay attention as your shutting stuff down so that you can leave that particular program running the next time you do the shut down thing.

Once you have everything shut down that you possibly can, try running the install again. Hopefully this will do it.

But if not...

Check the CD

Make sure the CD is clean and relatively free from imperfections.

If it has a big scratch in it, you're probably out of luck and will need to return it for a replacement or a refund.

If it has some grime or finger prints on it, try cleaning it off with a soft cloth. Some CDs are still packaged by "real" people, so a quick cleaning may do the trick.

Safe Mode

If you're running out of ideas, you may want to try running the install program from safe mode.

To get to Safe mode, press the F8 key when Windows starts to boot. You have to do this BEFORE you see the first "Windows" screen. I start tapping away at mine when I see the "Starting Windows 98" message, although not all computers display it. Experiment and you'll get it.

Note that this is better suited for software that you have downloaded or have on 3.5 floppy disks than CD software, since your CD ROM won't run under Safe Mode.

Now, there is a way around this. If you copy the CD to your hard manually you may be able to run the install from setup. Just make a folder on your hard drive and copy the contents of the CD to it. Try running the install from your hard drive in Safe Mode and see if that does it.

Web Help

Let's say you've tried all the stuff above but you still can't get it to run. Then what?

Well, most manufactures have web sites that can help. Try heading to their site and looking for a troubleshooting FAQ or a Knowledge base. Some companies even have message boards you can post your question at.

Most of the time, you'll find the web site somewhere on the software packaging or on the disk itself. If you can't, try typing in www.manufacturer.com, where manufacturer is the name of the company that makes the software.

If that fails, try typing in the name of the software or the manufacturer in a search engine. I've found lots of hard to locate companies that way.

Once you're on the site, if you come up dry for tech support, look for a contact phone number or e-mail.

2010-05-29T07:48:00.000-07:00

Although e-mail viruses are by far the most common, you can still get infected in any number of other ways. In this last section of our virus guide, we'll look at keeping you safe from as many virus sources as possible.

What is the difference between a Virus, Trojan, and Worm?

Basically, they all fall under the generally category of "viruses". However, there are a few distinctions.

Virus - Technically, a virus infects another file (attaches or inserts itself into it). They usually infect program files or MS Office documents. From there, it can replicate, do damage, etc. Unlike a worm, these do not function as a stand alone (except possibly to infect a given file).

Worm - This is almost identical to a "true virus", except that it lives on its own and generally doesn't infect other files (although it can replace them). Usually, these copy themselves using e-mail, networks, disks, etc. Again, these are very close to a true virus, and can do the same kind of damage.

Trojan Horse - This type of program doesn't copy itself but does do damage to your computer. These types of programs rely on people to pass them around and to run them. They do not e-mail themselves. The idea is to make the program look like it's something harmless, like a screen saver or joke, so it gets sent around.

That's the crash course on virus types. Bottom line, you don't want any of the little nastys on your computer!

Other virus sources

Unknown download sites - Be careful when downloading software from the net, especially from a virtual shareware library. A virtual shareware library is a site that has software listings on it, but they don't keep the software on their server. Just hover your mouse pointer over the download link and look at the bottom of your browser. If the URL shown is not the same as the site's it's a virtual shareware library. Most shareware sites are.

This isn't to say that you're going to get a virus by downloading software from them. In fact, I've never had a problem (and I download tons of software).

What I normally do is try to go to the software's web page. If it seems to be a trustworthy company, I download. Then I double-check the file with my anti-virus software.

Floppy Disks - Passing around floppy disks use to be the number one way of getting a virus, but it isn't as common as it used to be. In general, just be careful about running programs on floppy disks, especially those from questionable sources.

Another thing to be careful of is floppy boot sector viruses. If you have an infected floppy with this type of virus on it, you'll be infected if you forget to take it out of your drive when you re-boot your computer. To avoid problems, just don't leave floppy disks in your drive.

Of course, it doesn't hurt to scan your floppy with your AV software either.

Macro Viruses - I had mentioned this briefly earlier. Be careful with MS office documents that come from questionable sources. They can contain what's called a macro virus. These can delete files, alter program menus, and more.

Unfortunately, these are relatively easy to write, so they are among the most widespread variety of viruses. Be extremely careful when opening unknown MS office files, especially Word documents. Probably a good idea to save these files to disk then check them with your anti-virus software before opening them.

Well, that's about it. I know we could easily fill a book discussing viruses, but I'm just tryign to pass along the basics.

Just remember, keep your anti-virus software up to date and don't run / open any files you don't trust 110%.

PC Guide		Vista Tips
Digital Video Recorder		Make Money
WiMAX Technology		What is DSL?
Wireless Headset		DSL ISPs
USB Tips		Direct TV DSL
DSL vs. Cable		DSL Hardware
Mobile Ring Tones		Cheap DSL
Wireless printer		DSL Broadband
DSL Reports		Wireless Router
DSL Providers		Wireless Network
Wireless Broadband		Paging System Tips
Wireless Internet		Wireless Security
DSL Filters		Wireless Keyboard
Buying Mobile		Wireless Stereo
Wireless Mouse		Signaling System
VoIP		Mobile Viruses
Scanner Tips		Managing Mobile
Satellite TV		Web Cam
GPRS Tips		Mobile Manners
Subwoofer		Mobile Maintenance
Scanning Tips		WAN Tips
Retail Computer Tips		CD and DVD labels
MP3 Players		Internet Free Fax