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Houston
We Have A Problem 090, 06/02/10
Laptop
Link-Up
How do I
connect up my laptop’s VGA connector to my HD-Ready LCD TV, which has an HDMI
connector?
John
Wilkinson, by email
I am a
little surprised that your TV doesn’t have a VGA input; it is a very common
feature on flat screen TVs, so double check the manual and the back panel. If
it doesn’t have one all is not lost and some laptops have a composite video or
S-Video output, in which case you should also be able use that to connect the
PC to the TV’s AV input, though the quality probably won’t be very good. If
neither type of connection is available and you can’t make a direct connection
your best bet is to use a VGA to HDMI converter box. This changes the analogue
VGA signal coming out of your laptop to a digital signal for the HDMI input
socket. Basic models cost from around £50.00 upwards (see http://tinyurl.com/yeu5kxw and http://tinyurl.com/ycx7pj6).
Where is
my Wallpaper?
I've
managed to lose the contents of a photograph folder on my XP laptop during an
unsuccessful attempt to transfer that folder to my new Windows 7 desktop.
However, one of those photos is my favourite desktop wallpaper and it still
comes up on my laptop. I have searched the computer and cannot find the
picture. Is it possible to retrieve?
Ken
Mulberry, Hereford
It’s
actually quite difficult to completely lose data on a PC, there’s usually a
copy of it somewhere, possibly in the Recycle Bin, or even as a recoverable
deleted file. It’s worth trying a freeware utility called Restoration (download
link at: http://tinyurl.com/mxzzyo),
which often finds files and folders that have been accidentally zapped.
But back
to your original question, and the reason you can still see your desktop image
is because Windows automatically creates a bitmap copy. You will find it in C:\Documents
and Settings\<yourname>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft. The
file is called wallpaper1.bmp. However, it is normally marked as ‘hidden’ so if
you can’t see in Windows Explorer, go to Tools > Options > View and under
Hidden Folders, make sure that ‘Show hidden files and folders’ is checked.
Office Not
Routine
When I
bought my Dell Inspiron 1501 I was unaware that Windows Vista Home did not have
Microsoft Office. I was used to opening e-mail attachments in Word. As Word was
not an option I chose WordPad as the most familiar alternative. It does work to
a degree but is accompanied by reams of gobbledegook. I cannot find a way to
un-install it. Can you please tell me how to do this and what to put in its
place?
Derek
Clayton, by email
Microsoft
Office is not and has never been a part of the Windows operating system. It’s a
common misconception and it arose because some manufacturers and suppliers
chose to include full or trial versions of Office, or its less sophisticated
stable mate MS Works as 'bundled' software with new machines. WordPad is
essentially a fancy text editor and although it looks a bit like Word it has
only very basic word processor functions. WordPad is part of Windows and
although it can be removed, I wouldn’t, it occupies very little space and it
might come in useful one day.
If you
don’t fancy buying a copy of Office or Works try one of the freeware
alternatives? Several are compatible with MS Word. I suggest AbiWord, which is
a straightforward word processor, or OpenOffice.Org, which is a full-blown
office suite, comparable with Microsoft Office. Links to downloads for both
programs can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/28hx9k
Interfering
Neighbours
One of our
semi-detached neighbour's kitchen appliances interferes with our radio. Would
we get the same interference with a digital radio?
Mike
Heaton, by email
In general
DAB radios are less prone to the sort of RFI (radio frequency interference)
produced by poorly designed domestic appliances. Even so RFI can be quite troublesome
as it often covers a wide band of frequencies. This means that although it
should be filtered and rejected by a DAB radio’s tuning and digital processing
circuitry, if the interference is strong enough, and close enough, it can still
be picked up by the radio’s audio amplifier.
Manual
Dexterity
I was
given a second-hand laptop some two years ago, a Compaq Presario 700 but it
didn’t come with the owner’s handbook. Do you know where I can obtain an
English language copy of the manual?
Alan
Gaunt, by email
This
shouldn’t be a problem and most of the larger manufacturers maintain
well-stocked archives of documentation for all of their products, some going
back 5 years or more. Normally all you have to do is pop along to the support
section of the web site, tap in the model number or select it from a list and
download a pdf file, which you can view or print from your PC. In your case,
however, you need to be a little more specific, Presario 700 is the product
series, the actual model number, which you should find on a label on the
underside is probably CM2130, and you’ll find everything you need at: http://tinyurl.com/ycmmd5r
Card
Tricks
Do you
know of a device or technique to enable transfer of photo data from one SD
memory card to another?
Malcolm
Mee, by email
Here’s a
three easy methods. If your PC
or laptop has an SD memory card slot then all you have to do is copy the files
from the card to a folder on your hard drive. Once that’s done swap the cards
over and copy the files from the hard drive to the second card. If your PC
hasn’t got a card reader, use a USB SD Card adaptor. These are widely available
online and from PC dealers but my advice is to pop down to your local Poundland
or 99p Stores – I’ll leave it to you to work out the price. Insert the card
from the camera in the adaptor and as before copy the files to the PC and back
again to the second card. If you buy two adaptors (and your PC has two free USB
ports) you can make a direct card-to-card copy. You can also do an ‘in-camera’
copy. Use the supplied USB lead to copy the files from the camera to your PC,
switch the cards in the camera, and copy the files back to the second card.
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© R.
Maybury 2010 1101
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