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BOOT CAMP 181 (28/06//01)
TOP TEN TRAUMAS -- Part 2
Computers are not inanimate objects, they're wilful,
deceitful, belligerent and unreliable creatures, conspiring to make their
owner's lives a misery, at least that's the impression you'd get from reading
the huge number of emails, letters and faxes sent to us. In spite of the
understandable hostility many readers feel towards sick or disobedient machines
we prefer to think of PCs as our friends, who just need a little TLC now and
again and what is abundantly clear is that the same problems crop up time and
again. This week we look at the second and last batch of causes and cures for
your ten most troubling technical traumas.
6. VIRUSES &
WORMS
Over the past eighteen months we have seen a dramatic
increase in the number of virus and email worm attacks on PC users. Most of the
time it is just a nuisance and fortunately the incidence of really destructive
viruses, the kind that erase or corrupt data on a PCs hard disc drives, is still
relatively low. Nevertheless email worm outbreaks like 'Kak' and 'Love Bug',
which replicate by sending out infected emails to everyone in the users address
book, have the potential to cause enormous disruption, as do the inevitable
hoaxes and scares that follow in their wake. The vast majority of worm and virus
attacks are a direct result of security loopholes in Microsoft's Outlook
Express, so if you are using OE version 4 and early releases of version 5,
supplied with Windows 95 and 98 and NT you should install the security patch
available from the Microsoft web site (http://support.microsoft.com/
support/kb/articles/q262/1/65.asp)
without delay.
All this is merely first aid, though, the only way to stop
this kind of thing happening over and again is to protect your PC with an up to
date virus scanner, and keep it current with regular downloads of the latest
virus signatures!
7. CHANGING PCS
Computers don’t last forever. Three to four years is a good
average for a home or office machine, before it's replaced or retired. During
the average PC's lifetime it becomes filled with countless files, email
messages, addresses and favourites lists, utilities, programs and configuration
tweaks that make it as uniquely personal as a fingerprint. Starting over with a
new PC can be a daunting task, reloading programs is not too difficult, it's all
the other odds and ends that takes time, so in readiness for the big day start
organising your current machine now. Create a new folder in which to keep the
originals of all downloaded zip files, programs and utilities, so you will know
where to find them.
There are several ways to transfer data and configuration
files from one PC to another, if you have a CD-RW drive you can 'burn' as many
CD-ROMs as necessary. A Direct Cable Connection (DCC) between the two machines
is a quick and simple way to copy files (see Boot Camp 67 & 68, 8th &
15th April 1999) ). My favoured method is to temporarily install the hard drive
from the old machine in the new PC. Most desktop PCs have a spare data connector
and power plug for a second hard drive, all you have to do is set the jumper
cables on the back of the old drive to 'slave' setting (there's usually a
diagram on the case). When the PC boots up it will recognise the second drive
and allow you to copy and paste files from it to the new drive.
8. PRINTERS
Printers are surprisingly reliable it's the driver files and
ink cartridges that cause most of the problems. If your printer starts playing
up your first port of call should be the Windows 98 Printer Trouble-shooter,
which you will find in Windows Help (under Printer on the Index tab). The
Windows 95 version is on the installation CD-ROM in D:\Other\Misc, and click on
'Epts'. Most printer problems – erratic behaviour, printing gobbledegook etc. –
can be resolved by deleting the old driver and re-installing, preferably using
the latest version, available from the printer manufacturer's web site, and
while you are there have a look through the FAQ to see if there's any mention of
your particular problem.
9. SLOW CLOCK
When the clock on your PC starts loosing time or during boot
up you start seeing messages like 'CMOS checksum error – load defaults?', the
fault is almost always a dead or dying backup battery. The battery, which
supplies power to the PC's internal clock is mounted on the motherboard and
usually last for between 3 to 5 years. Replacement can be a simple DIY job, or a
nightmare, depending on the make and type of motherboard. If you are in any
doubt have it looked at by an expert.
10. INTERNET EXPLORER BRANDING
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 is generally well liked, easy
to use and mostly reliable but one thing that's guaranteed to get F!F!F!
Reader's backs up is the ease with which it can be 'branded'. That's all the
logos and messages that litter the IE5 desktop, after you load a signup disc
supplied by an Internet Service Provider (ISP). This unwanted and blatant
advertising drives some users to distraction but the worst of it is when the
branding stays, even when you switch to another ISP. Here's how to get rid of it
once and for all.
There are two parts to this procedure, close Explorer then
delete (copy or rename if you are of a cautious disposition) any bitmap file
(extension .bmp) you find in the 'signup' folder, this is located at: C:\program
files\internet explorer, in fact you can safely delete the whole signup folder
if you have switched to another ISP. Part 2 is trickier and involves editing the
Windows Registry. It's not difficult but if you never done it before I strongly
suggest you read our guide to the Registry in Boot Camps 126 and 127.
Open Regedit and make the customary backup then drill down
to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Toolbar, there you
should find two keys: BrandBitmap and SmBrandBitmap, right-click on each one in
turn and select Delete. Finally make your way to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Main and look for a key
called Window Title, which you can delete in the same way. Exit Regedit and
restart Internet Explorer.
Next week – Shssh, secrecy!
JARGON FILTER
MOTHERBOARD
The main printed circuit board inside a PC, containing the
main processor chip (Pentium etc.) memory chips (RAM) and plug-in expansion
cards or ‘daughter’ boards
PATCH
A program or file intended to fix or work around a problem in
a software application
REGISTRY
A large, constantly changing file in Windows 95/98 & ME
containing details of how your PC is set up and configuration information for
all the programs stored on the hard disc
TOP TIP
Here's an interesting freeware (to home users) utility that
claims to be able to spot and zap those incredibly annoying 'pop-up' ads that
appear whilst you are browsing web pages. Adsubtract also blocks cookies and in
theory will speed up download times having removed all of the clutter. If you
want to give it a try pay a visit to: http://www.adsubtract.com/downloads.html
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