Dongle Tangle

I followed up your item on obtaining a free Three Mobile Broadband USB Modem (Houston we have a problem 27/06/09) http://tinyurl.com/n4ko5j). On receipt, the instructions stated it was compatible with various Windows and Mac programs. I wish to use it with my Acer Aspire One Netbook, which has the Linux operating system. How can I get it to work with this system?

Peter Byng, by email

It can be done but only if you change the Aspire One’s operating system to Ubuntu Linux or Windows XP. As far as I’m aware no one has succeeded in getting this ZTE modem to work under Linpus Linux, which is installed on the Aspire One. I have no doubt that sooner or later someone will crack the problem but until then the quickest and simplest option is to switch operating systems. Have a look at Boot Camp 555, which shows how to install XP on a netbook: http://tinyurl.com/d9dpac. By the way that free modem offer has ended but the website says a new offer is in the pipline.

Keyboard Conversion

I recently moved over to a Mac and while I have, mostly, adjusted to it I cannot get on with the keyboard. I cannot type on it. Can I use my old keyboard and if so what will happen to the shortcuts on the Mac keyboard? Can I transpose them or maybe even use two keyboards?

Mike Powers, by email

Yes, you can plug any standard USB type PC keyboard into a Mac and it will work. The key changes shouldn’t cause too many problems, you could even learn to live with most of them but it is much easier to remap the PC keys to the Macs way of working, and the easiest way to do that is with a freeware program like DoubleCommand (http://tinyurl.com/nndywn) or UKPCKeyboard (http://tinyurl.com/n8u7ey).

Stuck Message in Outlook

Recently I tried to send an Email using Outlook 2003 with too many photos attached - total size of the message 17Mb. This message is now stuck in my Outbox and defies all attempts to delete it or to do anything else with it. I do get the message that “Outlook has begun transmitting this message” even after 24 hours has elapsed I still get this message. Clearly it is never going to go through. Please tell me how I can clear it out of my Outbox?

Eric Clark, by email

I presume you’ve tried deleting the message by highlighting it and pressing the delete key, and you should also try this after putting Outlook in Offline mode (File > Work Offline, restart Outlook). Failing that create a new .pst file (where all of your messages and mailboxes are stored). Go to File > New > Personal Folder File/Outlook Data File. Once that’s done set this new file as the default by going to Tools > e-mail Accounts, select View or Change Accounts and click Next. Select the new .pst file from the Deliver new email to… location list and restart Outlook. You should now be able to display the old folder list (Ctrl + F6) and delete the stuck message. To finish off go back to Tools > Email Accounts and reset your original .pst file as the default delivery location.

Dial Up Nuisance

I am using a Toshiba laptop with XP Home Edition and I am having difficulties with it very regularly starting to dial-up to my ISP without asking. Initially this used to come up with Do you wish to connect…Yes or No…’ or words to that effect. I pressed No and it didn't trouble me again and I could continue to use the machine. However, in the last few months it attempts to dial direct and is very persistent. I have to cancel it four or five times before it stops, whether the computer is connected to an outside line or not. I do not have anything checked for automatic dialling and it still attempts to dial even though I have ‘Never dial a connection’ checked under "Internet Properties / connections.

Dr William Boardman

This persistent pop up is due to one or more programs on your PC trying to gain access to the Internet. The trouble is it can be quite difficult finding out what it or they are, and it could be spyware or malware, which can be very difficult to track down. The first thing to do is eliminate that possibility by running two or three good malware cleaners and as usual I suggest AdAware, A-Squared, MalwareBytes, Spybot and SuperAntiSpyware. They are all free and safe to use and links to the downloads can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/2woy5u

If you get a clean bill of health of the problem persists then it is probably a legitimate program, that you have installed, that is automatically trying to ’call home’ to seek out updates. Check the System Tray (next to the clock) and look for one that changes or disappears when the dial-up message pops up. Check also the Startup list (type ‘msconfig’ in Run or Search on the Start menu and select the Startup tab) and check the purpose of the entries on the Sysinfo website (http://tinyurl.com/35vnz), disable any suspects by unchecking the entry and reboot, don’t worry, you can always go back and re-enable an entry if it causes problems.

Restoration Drama

I run XP and recently I deleted some files thinking that I had already backed these up. Unfortunately I had not. To reconstruct these files would be virtually impossible. Googling 'Recover deleted folders' details various sites to download, to help. I am somewhat reluctant to let some outside unknown source have access to my hard drive and would welcome your advice.

R. Thompson, Northumberland

Assuming that the deleted files are not still in the Recycle Bin (if so just right-click on them to restore), try a simple to use freeware application called Restoration. You’ll find a link to the download at: http://tinyurl.com/mxzzyo

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© R. Maybury 2009 2408

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