URLs from 5/30/06

Corrected URL: Repairing Windows XP with just 8 commands

Windows Vista/Office 2007 Beta signup

Missing hal.dll file help:
--from Microsoft
--from PCSupport
--from Computerhope.com
--from 5starsupport.com
--from compphix.com

OTAP Website is now back up!

VLC Player for multimedia

Windows Defender anti-spyware

Dayton Microcomputer Assocation Linux SIG InstallFest this weekend

Where to buy or inspect Mac products:
--Mac Depot in Kettering
--Weingarten Gallery in Fairborn
--Kenwood Apple Store
--Easton Town Center
--also CompUsa and MicroCenter have some Apple products, though sales staff deal more often with PCs

Snakes on a Plane

URLs from 5/23/06

Dell Laptop Backlight/Screen repair:
--fonerbooks.com
--laptops.home
--daileyint.com

Slow downloading of emails in Windows 98:
--bandwidth speed test
--check system requirements with what you have

Getting rid of old computers:
--donate to schools
--Goodwill
--Otap community recycling programs
--Butler County programs

Removing Norton

New Apple Store

New Apple Laptop

URLs from 5/16/06

Disabling Search indexing in Windows -- choose #41

Microsoft Office Service Pack 2

iPod Battery level indicator

New Lithium iPod Battery packs

Aurora removal tool

Stinger Virus removal

Switching to Linux:
Linux users group at Dayton Microcomputer Association
Reasons to switch to Linux:
--ReallyLinux.com
--TuxMagazine.com
--Oreillynet.com

ISASS Virus removal:
--This is such a complicated topic that we hve prepared a separate post on it.

ISASS Virus Removal/LSASS.EXE

A caller on 5/16/06 described a Windows problem which may (or may not) be the ISASS virus, a/k/a or related to the Sasser worm. He kept getting a 'file missing' message.

Note that there is a real, needed Windows program spelled "lsass.exe". The first letter of the genuine program is a lowercase 'L'.

The virus uses an uppercase 'i' and is written "Isass.exe". The confusion is undoubtedly deliberate on the part of the virus writers.

So we're not certain if the caller has the virus, or is actually missing a used resource.

See the other comments below. Here is Guy Moore's analysis:

Tips on this virus

Another source

Also after removing the Sasser worm users need to do Windows updates. There was a Windows patch that protected computers from this problem.

Using Stinger to remove viruses on Windows based computers:

1. Download the Stinger removal tool using another computer

2. Put Stinger on a floppy then write protect the floppy.

3. Boot in safe mode and choosing the DOS option which I hope will boot OK.

4. Switch to drive A: by typing:
a:
then hit the return/enter key

5. Run Stinger by typing:
stng260
and hitting the return/enter key
Note: In this case "stng260" is the name of the Stinger application. This name may change so look to see what its name is when you download it.

6. Let it scan and clean up the problems

7. Remove the floppy

8. Re-boot hopefully it will boot properly

9. Check for Windows updates right away. Some of these things have had security updates that protect you from them.

Also -- here is a message sent too late for inclusion in the show, from Shawn M.:

"For the lass.exe missing file. I would use the XP installation disc and use the "Repair" windows option. This should reinstall the corrupt or missing file, without losing current files on the HD, , , Great ShoW!!!!"

Finally, we heard from the original caller, Mike O., who had the 'file missing' message:

"I found what I was doing wrong when I could not create the 6 XP boot disks. I now have the 6 disks. My error was that I thought the download from windows would create the disks. That was wrong. A program is downloaded which when executed creates the 6 disks. Got the answer via my son who is kinda a nerd, and he asked me a simple question. (What are you trying to load -- the download program or the program output?) God Bless the American school system."

URLs from 5/9/06

Email Quota exceeded on Road Runner account

LCD Monitor reviews for a Macintosh
--23-inch
--30-inch

Spyware: "theguardservices hijacked my default web page":
--Afterdawn.com
--Spywareinfo.com
--Castlecops.com

Reset Open Firmware in Mac OS X:

1. Start up into Open Firmware by pressing and holding the Command-Option-O-F key combination during startup.

2. At the Open Firmware prompt, type: reset-nvram

3. Press Return.

4. When prompted for your password, enter it and press the Return key.

5. It responds OK.

6. At the Open Firmware prompt, type: reset-all

7. Press Return.

Use PC Hell for problem

Removing learned words from the Microsoft Word dictionary:
--In recent versions of Word buttons there's a Modify... button when you click on the Custom.dic in Tools | Options | Spelling and Grammar | Custom Dictionaries.

URLs from 5/2/06

iTunes pricing resolved it will stay 99 cents

Napster.com is free again with a web based player

Bogus virus article- It was a trojan and was not in the wild (carried by lots of sources)

Hijacked web page

Choosing a wireless card

Setting up a wireless home network
PCmag.com
PCstats.com
Microsoft.com

Mac OS X Apple Mail deleting mail from server:
--Go to the "Mail" menu and choose "Preferences"
--Click on the "Accounts" icon and click on your

Deleting words from a custom dictionary in Microsoft Word for Windows:
You can go the official route: Tools > Options > Spelling & Grammar > Custom
Dictionaries > Modify.
Highligh and delete the words you want to remove