URLs from 10/2/07

iTunes for Windows 2000

Sharing/collaborating on word processing files when not everyone has the same software. We discussed several options:
--Open Office free software
--Google's on-line word processing tool
--NeoOffice (Mac only) reads and writes Word files
--Creating pdf files readable (not writeable) on almost any computer. Part of Mac OSX; a Windows solution is Cute PDF Writer
--Use collaborative on-line software: Wiki and WriteBoard.com
--Options for reading MS Word files
--Office Live software

iPhone Human Interface Guidelines

New Version of Gimp

User email Steve Jobs about iMac problems and gets action

Amazon Music store

Belarc Advisor (profiles your system)

Dictionary of Computer terms

Com Port busy message:
--Versiontracker.com
--Virtualserialport.com
--Serial-port-communication.com
--Vicman.net

URLs from 9/25/07

MSN Messenger not accepting .MAC email accounts

Moving songs from iTunes to Windows Media Player

Wireless is working on some and not on others

Spybot anti-virus

'Windtunnel' fan noise in iMac G4

URLs from 9/18/07

iTunes 7.4.2

Getting a certificate error logging into Yahoo Mail via Firefox.

Video DVD won't work in iMac G5.
--Try booting from a system dvd to eliminate software as a problem
--Try logging in as a different user
--Apple.com

Windows External drive clicking after accidental power down while deleting files.
Probably turned off while writing to the directory. Try some recovery software like:
--VirtualLab by BinaryBiz
--Maxtor utility

Wireless does not work after re-format.
The wireless connection is probably missing the proper drivers. See:
--Support.microsoft.com

URLs from 9/11/07

Weird clock problems could be corrupt CMOS

History of email spam

Bayesian spam filtering

iPhone sim Unlocks phone in New Zealand

New iPods

Steve Jobs open letter about iPhone rebate

Spam information
--Dataparty
--Wired.com
--Securityfocus.com
--PCworld.com/article 1
--PCworld.com/article 2
--Radar.oreilly.com
--Puremagic.com

URLs from 9/4/07

Microphone issues in Vista:
--Recording quality is poor when you use a USB microphone on a Vista-based computer that has 4 GB of RAM or more
--Recording devices may not work if the devices have the same name in Windows Vista
--You may not hear any sound when you play back a recording that was recorded by using the Sound Recorder application in Windows Vista

URLs from 8/28/07

Secret Life of Steve Jobs

New Lego Kit "Young Woz and Jobs Playset" August 29th release

Slow access to another computer on a wireless network:
--try a speed test
--try war driving software to troubleshoot wireless connections

Resetting Windows XP Password

Clean Install of Windows XP

Adding Second monitor to new iMac

Pro Tools (audio editing software) will not run on my New Intel iMac
--Gearslutz.com
--Macrumors.com
--DigiDesign.com
--More DigiDesign.com

Dell Inspiron 5300e -- replaced mother board -- won't boot (gives 2 beeps)
--Bioscentral.com/beepcodes/
--Kropf.net
--Winforums.com
--Envytech.co.uk

URLs from 8/21/07

Free or cheap antivirus programs recommended by listeners:
--Avast
--AVG

PC World Anti-Virus Reviews

Entourage (Outlook) messages not showing up even though alert comes through:
--Sometimes the messages get moved automatically into the local inbox, not the Exchange inbox.
Click here for more info.

Refurbished iPhones on Apple Store

Mac or PC Rap Video

How to uninstall Norton Antivirus
--method 1
--method 2

Google earth -- does is cause a problem with sleeping Mac OS?

Netgear - Wirelessly printing to Netgear connected printer

URLs from 8/14/07

Should you use off-brand or refilled printer cartridges?
--On our 8/14/07 show, the statement was made that this is OK. Listeners Lee from Clayton and Bob from Centerville strongly dissent from this advice. Bob points out that Consumer Reports disagrees ("Cheap Inks Don't Pay" is the title of a section in their July 07 issue). Lee, who has serviced printers for 10 years, says:

It might be folly to replace a printer because it costs less to buy the replacement cartridges. It depends on the printer. Often the printer comes with starter cartridges. I have a friend who thinks he is saving by buying new printers. He is a good enough friend that I've never pointed out that the cartridges that come with that particular printer has about 1/4 the ink as the replacements.

The cost of a cartridge tells you nothing about the cost of printing. You need to know the cost/yield ratio of the cartridge. This information is available on line. I know that the Office Depot web site has the yields of all the ink and toner cartridges it sells in the product specifications of the product. There are other sources. Be aware that these data are based on industry standards of coverage and density. They should be used for comparison purposes only. However, I've found them to be very accurate and maybe a bit conservative.

One popular printer takes a black cartridge that costs $35 and has a yield of 200 pages. A competitor offers a similar machine that has a $20 cartridge with a 700 page yield.
Non-OEM cartridges will not void the warranty of your printer. However, if the cartridge damages your printer, furniture or carpet (not uncommon) that must be covered by the vendor of the third party cartridge. Check your vendor for their warranty. Quality and customer service of non-OEM cartridges varies widely.

Stores that sell both OEM and non-OEM cartridges make 3 to 4 times as much profit margin on the third party cartridges over the original manufacturer. They will push the non-OEM cartridges.

Canon and Epson printers are particularly susceptible to failure from use of third party ink and cartridges. Their print heads (jets) are built into the printer rather than the cartridge and if the ink clogs the heads you are pretty much dead in the water.

I simply tell my inquirers to not use anything but Canon cartridges in Canon printers. They have a 2 picoliter ink droplet rather than the 7-9 picoliter droplet of the competition. 100% of the Canon printers I've seen with clogged heads have owners who admit to using third party inks.

And last, I advise my subscribers, "Save money by buying your coffee at McDonald's rather than Starbuck's, buy day old bread and drive a Prius rather than a Hummer, but don't try to go cheap on ink."

Can't write to system root winnt:
--Download a boot disk from boot disk, and then fix it attribute back to read & write. See Bootdisk.com
--Or try the recovery console

Boot hard drive died trying to use second drive as boot drive
--Check jumpers settings for your hard drive

Update for Apple Airport Base Station

Skype for iPhone

How to change the drive letter of your boot drive

HP printers disapearing after reboot

Windows laptop will not hibernate
--Kellys-korner-xp.com
--Notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=51083
--Shivaranjan.com

Dayton Microcomputer Association

URLs from 8/14/07

Hibernate and Sleep issues in Windows XP (tech support articles from Microsoft):

How to troubleshoot hibernation and standby issues in Windows XP

Unable to Use Power Management Features

Drive Letter Assignments:
How to change drive letter assignments in Windows XP (Microsoft Support)

Can't write to Windows system folder- what to do
Try bootdisk.com to get to the command prompt and run attrib command

Or try the recovery console

Boot drive issues:
How to change the letters of your boot drive
Information on hard drive jumper settings

URLs from 8/7/07

Dimension 5100 BIOS downgrade instructions

How Linux keeps track of time
--Tldp.org
--Linuxsa.org.au

Apple sued over iPhone keyboard

Hacking the iPhone

How to recover deleted pictures from a camera flash card
--Thebishop.net
--Pcworld.com

Dell Laptop loose screen
--UCLA article
--Geekstogo.com

Reverting to an older BIOS for CarPuter
--Bay-wolf.com
--Dewassoc.com

URLs from 7/31/07

Syntax for CheckDisk in Windows 98
--Click START and select RUN
Type in CMD and press ENTER
In the Command Line Window, type in chkdsk /f

Care and cleaning of CDs and DVDs.
Our correspondent Liz in beautiful Savannah, who listens via our podcast, mentions two PDF resources:
--Council of Library and Information Resources
--National Institute of Standards and Technology

URLs from 7/24/07

Booting Window XP using a "Clean" boot for Uninstalling programs

iPhone Exploit may allow attackers to take control
--News.com
--Securityevaluators.com

BluEye -- an iPod hack

Q: Can I do wireless printing using a Linksys router & Lexmark printer?
--You could buy a new access point/router (some have USB ports designed for printers)
--Or connect the printer to an existing computer that's always on (the cheapest solution)
--See Pcstats.com article
--Search for Wireless print server

Using restore point to take Windows XP back to an earlier state

URLs from 7/17/07

Vinyl record sales are up 13%
Internet Explorer in Windows opens in too small a size

Setting up a home wireless network with 2 Mac laptops, USB Hard drive, printer
--Tip # 1
--Tip #2

Slow internet speed with Windows 2000 broadband
--We suggested that extra memory might help. Here's a bandwidth speed test.

Word processing compatible with Microsoft Office (esp. Word)
--We suggested the free open-source Open Office

Kevin from Eaton has a Windows 98 machine that won't boot properly. Bryan suggested a review of CHKDSK (Check Disk) procedures.

--Here's Wayne's guide:

--First, a word of caution: some of this may possibly change or impair your system. If you're not comfortable with this, don't do it.

--Try starting in Safe Mode (tap F8 key repeatedly during Startup)

--You can attempt to repair this file by starting Windows Setup using the orginal setup CD-Rom.

Select R at the first screen to start repair.

--Boot from Windows XP Install CD-Rom
Press R for Recovery Console
Select the number for the OS (in my case 1. C:\WINDOWS)
This should result in a prompt C:\WINDOWS
At the C: prompt type:

chkdsk C: /p/r

Then reboot and see if it’s fixed.

--If that does not help then go through the steps above.
At the C: prompt type:

Fixboot C:

Then reboot and see if it’s fixed.

--If that does not help then go through the steps above.
At the C: prompt type:

fixmbr

A warning will display stating the mbr is not standard or corrupt (or words to that effect). At "Do you wish to continue?" type Y for yes.
The new mbr should then be successfully written to the hard disk.
Type "exit" (no quotes) at the prompt. The system will reboot and all SHOULD be well.

A word of warning care should be execised if you multiboot into different OS's as this may prevent the system accessing a custom boot loader, but for single operating systems it should be fine. It works 100% of the time for me.

URLS from 7/10/07

Sun Computer’s Java download page

When surge protectors fail . . .

100,000 iPhones!
iPhones around the world contest

Pure Networks - Network Magic (partitioning software)

Wireless Router Review

URLs from 7/3/07

Free SpyLocked (spyware) removal tool

Sent messages not in the Sent folder in Outlook Express

URLs from 6/26/07

Using ReadyBoost to speed up Windows Vista

Should I use AdAware (spyware removal tool) with Windows Vista? (John in Hamilton)
--No, the web site indicates it will not run, even though the current version is called AdAware 2007. Spybot will run under Vista, and Windows Defender is built into it.

I have multiple partitions on my primary hard drive. Do I have to reformat to make it one again or to make one partition bigger since I am running out of room on my XP partition? (Ron in Middletown)
--No, you do NOT need to reformat. Use Partition Magic, $30-$55 at Amazon.com. Here's more information.

I was given an Apple laptop. I have an old PC at home and want to transfer files. Am I at risk of a virus? (Julie in Darrtown)
--Basically, no. Here's more information. Years ago there were some macro viruses that infected the macros (automated tasks) in Microsoft Word and Excel. Since you indicated you won't use these, you can rest at ease.

I accidentally erased my C drive. My Windows XP upgrade disk will not let me install it again. (Joe in Clayton)
--The Installer is probably looking for the original boot disk. Since your computer came with Windows ME pre-installed, try to find any ME or even a 98 Install disk. Once the XP installer sees an original licensed copy, it should go ahead. Here's information on a clean install of Windows XP.

My daughter wants Vista for her MacBook (to be run under Boot Camp). Should I wait for an upgrade? (Tom in New Castle)
--No. No new versions of Vista are due out anytime soon. We recommend Home Premium, but since she will be entering college, have her check out deals through the school's book store.
--Mary from Oxford had a followup comment: Check with her college tech department. They may make you buy a specific Mac or PC. Prices are much cheaper for software on campuses for students, so do check first.

URLS from 6/19/07

Spybot anti-spyware -- Latest version

AT&T Tech Support Phone Number

Hard drives jumper viewer

iPhone Longer Battery life Announced

Apple World Wide Developers Conference - iPhone developer kit

MacBook Pro Power Adapter Problems

MacBook Pro Battery Recall

Apple PowerBook Battery recall
--Info.apple.com
--general information from Apple

Listener Linda commented that her HP Pavilion seemed to take up a lot of disk space for the HP Recovery utilities. Here's a comment from listener Steven in Dublin, IN:

You are correct that the Compaq/HP systems come with a partition for system recovery. This partition contains everything needed to restore the PC to effectively the state it was when it left the factory.

The reason I say effectively is that when I recovered a Compaq from this partition I noticed some minor changes to the system (e.g. reassignment of drive letters to SD and other memory drives, different shortcuts on the desktop, etc.) The BIOS has an option when booting to restore from this partition.

One suggestion I have for owners of these systems is to run the supplied utility to backup the recovery partition to CD-ROM. While this probably is a violation of the copyright, I used the supplied CD-ROM software to make a copy of these discs because the recovery backup utility sets a flag to prevent it being run a second time.

URLs from 6/12/07

Getting HP printer error ". . . or you are connected to a VPN"

Apple World Wide Developers Conference news

Beta test for Safari 3 (Windows & Mac)

Safari for Windows security bug

Set Windows to "Never dial a connection"

Adjusting volume in Windows XP

Windows XP freezes or locks up (2 callers)
--Techspot.com
--Aarp.org (yes!)
--Theglobeandmail.com
--Forums.cnet.com

URLs from 6/5/07

Windows XP won't shut down; appears to hang up when exiting Adobe Acrobat.
--Try this fix
--or Askmehelpdesk.com

Is it a mistake to install more than 4 GB of memory for XP, as a caller claimed a friend told him?
--Not that we can determine. There is a 4-GB limit, sort of, but even that is not the whole story.
MGAs (Major Geek Alerts) here:
--There are some technical considerations that may have led the friend to this erroneous conclusion. Read about them here.
--More on this topic from the Microsoft Developer Network.
--Codinghorror.com
--Zdnet.com
--Chris.pirillo.com

Apple's iPhone to debut June 29th
--Macpolls.com
--Macenstein.com
--Apple.com

Microsoft's Tabletop Computer

Is the Mac really less vulnerable to attacks than Windows?

I have an iMac and need to connect an older Windows based laptop
--Get virus protecction and spyware protection for the PC
--Wireless card for laptop recommended
--You could use the iMac System Preferences for sharing, internet, airport
--But better than using your iMac would be buying a wireless router. It will also provide a hardware firewall.

Is a 'wireless card' the same as a 'wireless modem'?
No, in the sense that the card itself is not a direct connection to a phone. But neither is a cable modem. The debate rages on.
--Tech-faq.com
--Wikipedia 'wireless modem'
--Wikipedia. 'modem'

My desktop is covered with icons and I can't find a thing!
--To view them as a list on Windows XP:
--Navigate to "My Computer, C:, Documents & Settings, YOUR ACCOUNT NAME, Desktop"
--You can view this as a list.
--To view them as a list on a Macintosh with OS X:
--Open a Finder window, then click on the Desktop icon on the left side of the window.

URLs from 5/29/07

Phishing alert: watch out for schemes to get your money. We've discussed these before, but they're still around. Numerous false emails exist with supposed links to banks, eBay, PayPal, etc. Clicking on the links take you to an authentic-looking site whose real purpose is to steal your confidential information. More info:
--from Firefox
--from the U. S. government

A Place Between: find a place to get coffee (default) between any two locations

Windows Update crashes/SVC Host

Apple One to One Training (Macintosh)

MacBook Pro Memory

Cheap Windows for PC (Windows XP)
--Softwareoutlet.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?
--Amazon.com

Finding Gas Prices on your computer (double click the map to zoom in)

Task Manager Missing Tabs (Windows XP)

Programs showing up twice in my taskbar(Windows XP)
--Solution 1
--Solution 2

URLs from 5/22/07

Richard's Seagate FreeAgent Drive is showing up in Windows XP. Click here for Seagate's page for troubleshooting this issue.

Windows Mobile 6- only available via T Mobile as of today.
The T Mobile Wing, featuring Windows Mobile 6.

Manual Java 6 download

iPhone gets FCC approval

iPhone wins National Design Awards

Quicktime Vulnerability

URLs from 5/15/07

iPod for little ones

Real estate web site designs
--Blitzdevelopment.com
--Garryegan.com

Godaddy web hosting
http://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/default.asp

Recovering lost Word files

URLS from 5/15/07

Microsoft Office Live Free Business Website Hosting: To find out more, click this link.

Here is the Microsoft PR:

With Microsoft Office Live, you can create a professional online presence without the expense of buying a server, setting up a complicated infrastructure, and hiring technical staff to maintain it. Microsoft Office Live is a hosted service – all you need is a computer and an Internet connection.

Real estate web site designs:
http://www.blitzdevelopment.com/
http://www.garryegan.com/realtor-web-development.php

Godaddy Web Hosting

Recover An Unsaved Document When Word Crashes

Recovering Lost Word Files

Ron from Vermilion loves My Function Keys which allows you to map keys to input specific text inputs. Click here for information.

iPod for little ones

URLs from 5/8/07

Getting old software to run in XP

Link to Virtual PC 2007 (FREE):
--This can enable legacy systems to run as a virtual machine on newer ones
--Another link

Apple's new 'Get a Mac' ad

Connecting a Macintosh to a Windows 2003 server
--Server settings
--Connecting SMB
--SMB defined

PCH.dll Process error on startup
--Look up on this web site to find about what this DLL does

Security Protection for Windows Vista Ultimate 64
--Trendmicro.com
--Start64.com

Windows says wireless is not connected when it really is:
--Start -> Control Panel -> Network Connections -> Right click for properties on your connection -> Uncheck the 'Show icon in notification area when connected'
--neowin.net

RoboForm Password Management

URLS from 4/24/07

Copying movies: Is it legal?

Copying CDs & DVDs is it legal?
--News.com
--Utexas.edu/its/bestpractices/music/
--Datadoctors.com

Gold Plated iPod

Zero exploit hack for Safari (Mac)

Quicktime Hack

Apple Security Updates

Playing Windows Media files on your Mac
--Microsoft.com, part 1
--Microsoft.com, part 2

URLs from 4/17/07

Rebuilding an XP system without destroying existing data
--a Microsoft article on the same topic

Mouse Jiggler

Mac OS X Leopard Delayed until October

First apple Store in Alabama - Big Attendance of grand opening

Wireless PCMCIA card for Windows 95 computer
--The caller wanted to know about Internet connectivity on his machine, which is a machine tool unit whose system can't be upgraded. A later cautioned against this -- if it's a critical machine in manufacturing, you don't want to expose it to Internet viruses.

Dell Inspiron b130 has bad DVD Drive
--Google.com
--Ebay

Dell Inspiron b130 bad CD Drive take apart
--Repair4laptop.org
--Laptoprepairguy.com

Keeping young children safe on the internet -- Windows XP
--Windowsmarketplace.com
--KidRocket
--Boutell.com
--Kidswatch.com
--Epic.org
--more from Boutell.com

Keeping young children safe on the internet -- Vista

Digitizing Records on a Mac

URLs from 4/10/07

Connecting to a Windows Shared Printer using Mac OS X

--Printing Overview for Mac OS X 10.4

--Sharing a printer using a Windows computer for a Mac to use

--Hooking a printer to the Mac and sharing it with a Windows computer

Turbotax Glitch Article

Nokia posts isync web page and additional support for phones
--Macscoop.com
--Nokia.com

URLs from 3/27/07

Adobe CS3 information including a product selector

Microsoft Office 2007 File formats

Neo Office for Macintosh new version supports Office 2007 formats

Run Classic Applications on intel Macs
--Macmegasite
--Zisman.ca

Bandwidth Speed Test

MacStumbler

WarDriving

Wireless Security

URLs from 3/20/07

Synchronizing bookmarks across browsers (Windows)
--Solution 1: Diio.com
--Solution 2: Lifehacker.com
--Solution 3: Bookmarkmagic.com

Formatting drive in OS 9 (Macintosh)

Formatting your drive in Macintosh Tiger 10.4

What is ASCII Code?

ASCII Code Chart

Mac Tiger Archive Install

Browser for Windows 98 - Try Firefox 2 (Windows)

URLs from 3/6/07

XP machine reboots instead of shutting down
--One solution
--Another solution

URLs from 2/27/07

Apple Phone Ads during Oscars

802.11N New Wireless Standard

Erase windows 98 Hard drive
--Heidi.ie
--Download.com
--Killdisk (free)

Daylight Saving time starts Sunday, March 11th

X-11 - Errors installing Fink

HP 700 series says initializing and never finishes

Internet Explorer 7 Problems
--Microsoft.com
--Zdnet.com

Windows File and Setting Transfer Wizard
--Resource 1
--Resource 2

URLs from 2/13/07

Biting woods for Apple come back to Haunt Dell

Changing Windows Sound Scheme to no sound for default

Opening an Apple Keyboard for cleaning
--Method 1
--Method 2

Mac Mini Video Problems with games (Warcraft,Civilization & Starcraft)
--Email Support Wowtech-AT-Blizzard.com or call 949-955-1382
--Blizzard.com
--Warcraft patch. Note: we don't know what it does!

How to use sound in MS DOS

URLs from 2/6/07

Moving your iTunes library to an external drive -- instructions for Mac and PC

iTunes for Windows Hot Tips

Apple Inc. (formerly Apple Computer) vs. Apple Corp. (the Beatles) -- lawsuit settled
--lowendmac.com
--news.yahoo.com

Computer donations -- see the Cincinnati Computer Coop

Digital Cameras -- Resolution; Optical & Interpolated

Stinger Removal of virus software for Windows

Macintosh Antivirus software
--Note that many Mac users do not feel the need to have antivrus software at this time. Others argue that it's better to be safe than sorry. We have both points of view on the Help Desk.

URLs from 1/30/07

Today is the official release day for the Windows Vista operating system.
--See Bryan Powell's recommendations on how to see if you're ready to upgrade
--Listener Ken in Dayton writes:
"Microsoft has a an excellent free download program to test your computer for Vista upgrade capability. It checks for hardware as well as bios and software drivers issues. I ran it on my computer and it found my computer had problems with several drivers and bios as well as my graphics card. As a result, I do not plan to upgrade. It is called Vista Readiness Assessment Tool."

Will Vista be a good platform for PC gaming?
--Here's a report (based on Nvidia cards only)

De-fragmenting hard drives produces an MMC error
--One possible fix

Windows Vista comes out Tuesday- will your applications be ready?

While gorging on Vista related information this past week, I found this following Wiki which shows software that is incompatible with Windows Vista. Click here to see the list.

A lot of standard applications people use on a daily basis already work, such as Office 2003 and also Adobe Acrobat Reader. However, a lot of other apps do not work, for example AdAware Personal, Spybot, and PC Anywhere. Still others are not technically certified for Vista but will still work, such as iTunes and Firefox.

Check out the list and see where you stand if you are buying a new PC soon or if you are buying Vista on Tuesday (January 30, 2007).

URLs from 1/23/07

Which Speed DVD/CD Media to use?
--It doesn't hurt to buy discs rated faster than your drive will support (such as 16x in a in 8x drive), but you won't get the speed, and you'll pay more.
--For critical applications, burning at a slower speed may cause fewer problems for listeners.

Weather channel software comes up when computer starts up
--Could be related to using drive letters besides C:

Using a Mac Monitor on a PC; original monitor died, got a Mac monitor but it does not work either
-- It could be monitor settings. Start in safe mode. This would not use the monitor settings.
See Pchell.com.
--If it works in safe mode then you need to adjust the monitor settings and try re-booting.
--If the plugs do not match, then you might be able to buy an adapter, but they can be quite pricey.

Windows 98 only starts in safe mode and mouse does not work
--Try going into the BIOS
--Make sure you are using a PS2 style mouse

PC Win2K IE 6 email links opens Outlook Express. How can I change it to Eudora?
--Lockergnome.com
--Microsoft.com

I want a flat panel monitor for a Dell Desktop running Windows 98
--This should work but you may have to use the standard VGA driver

Can I use Parallels from an external Hard drive on my Intel Mac?

USA Today: Computers evolve with Vista in mind

URLs from 1/16/07

Flash Player problems: "could not find macromedia flash" error
--Uninstall and re-install Flash player
--If you are using a screensaver, read this article

CD-ROM not working sometimes

How to get the WMUB Podcasts

Macintosh Real Player Free version

Opinions on Windows OneCare
--Microsoft.com
--Windowsonecare.com

URLs from 1/9/07

Note to users: we had two live versions of the Help Desk on 1/9, at 9 am ET and 7 pm ET. For the evening show, Guy Moore and Wayne Stone were on live from MacWorld in San Francisco. Due to technical difficulties we're not able to cover as many topics this week as usual. But keep listening!

Multiple monitors on Windows XP

URLs from 1/2/07

Happy New Year from the Help Desk!

Lexmark printer won't print after system install
--Locate and install a new driver from Lexmark

URLs from 12/19/06

iPod won't turn on

How to edit, backup, and restore the Registry

Restore an iPod to factory settings - will wipe out all contents of iPod

System Restore not working
--Microsoft article
--Techguy.org forum

Nintendo Wii Controller Damage
--Wiidamage.com
--Digitaldisplacement.com
--Kotaku.com

McAfee spam filter causes problems with email (2 callers with identical problem)
--During the show the guys found references to message boards that recommended turning off the McAfee spam filter and filter through your email program.
--Listener Steven of Dublin, IN writes: "I have used anti-spam tools (other than McAfee) and may have seen the behavior your callers reported. Some of these tools pickup the mail from the server, remove spam and then behave as a POP server where my mail client can pickup the filtered mail. In the cases I have seen, the instructions on using the tool said to enter the mail server in the tool and configure my mail program to retrieve mail from 127.0.0.1." We have not independently verified this advice.
*UPDATE* from Steven 1/3/07: Check the following:
--Spampal.us
--Keir.net
--Techsoup.org

URLs from 12/12/06

Kyocera Wireless router for cell phones

Microsoft's Zune Mp3 player
--The "Pink" Zune -- special edition, randomly distributed to 100 purchasers

What are the different version of Vista that will be available?

CPU Fan Error message at startup
--Whirlpool.net forum
--Techspot.com

Can I switch ISPs and keep my email address?

OS X Driver for HP Deskjet 855C Printer

URLs from 12/5/06

Switching from PC to Mac: how to
--Switch 101 (Apple site)
--ProQuest

Removing old version of Norton Utilities

AVG Virus protection

Motorola Wireless headphones

Pioneer Powerline speaker system (run speakers through electrical wiring)

psap.dll Startup error

Olympus 720sw digital camera

Parallels - Lets you run windows on Intel Mac

URLs from 11/28/06

MP3 Players:
--iPOD Shuffle
--Nike/iPod Information

iPod/MP3 Wireless headphones

Pioneer MT-01 home entertainment system

Olympus 720W digital camera

News:
--Chumby (hard to describe, it's a clock radio that uses wireless internet connections to fetch stuff from the web-- music, chat, photos, messages. Not yet available.)
--Airlines and Apple iPod Team up

Mac OS DMG Security Flaw

Comparing LCD to Plasma

How to find out information on a Macintosh Powerbook G4

Places to buy a used Macintosh
--Tips on buying a used Mac

Deleting cookies in Internet Explorer 7:

To delete a single cookie
--In Internet Explorer, click the Tools button, and then click Internet Options.
--On the General tab, in the Browsing history section, click Settings, and then click View files.
--Cookies will have the prefix Cookie: and usually contain the name of the website that saved it.
--Select the cookie you want to delete, and then, on the File menu, click Delete.

To delete all cookies
--In Internet Explorer, click the Tools button, and then click Internet Options.
--On the General tab, under Browsing history, click Delete.
--In the Delete Browsing History dialog box, click Delete cookies.
--When you are prompted to confirm that you want to delete cookies, click OK.
--Click Close, and then click OK.

Notes
--Some websites store your member name, password, or other information about you in a cookie. If you delete that cookie, you might need to re-enter your personal information the next time you visit the site.

URLs from 11/21/06

Information about Zune, Microsoft's new Mp3 player

Installing 10.4 on a Macintosh that does not have a DVD drive
--OS X 10.4 CDS available on the right side.
--Start your computer in target disk mode then install from another computer that has a DVD drive
--Using Target disk mode
--DVD drive for a Macintosh G4 Tower

How to fix hard drives with bad blocks

Macintosh firmware updates

Broadband speed comparison

URLs from 11/14/06

Resetting a BIOS password

Kaspersky Antivirus 6 review from CNET

Problem with Virtual Truck message at every restart

• In some circumstances (believed to be associated with previous failed installations that did not run to normal completion), on every restart, Windows asks for:
• Insert CDRom.
• Please insert your CDRom with the Virtual Truck program. Looking for file: E:\INSTALLS\TERAETH\VTRUCK.EXE
  
  
• The name of the file requested may differ in detail. Even after inserting the CD-ROM, the PC continues to make the same request on every restart. To repair this situation under Windows 98/ME:
• * Click Start, click Run.
• * Enter msconfig and click OK.
• * Click tab Win.ini to bring it to the front.
• * Click the [+] sign beside [windows] to expand this item.
• * If you see an entry run= involving \vtagent\reboot.exe, then uncheck it.
• * Click OK to exit the System Configuration Utility.

URLs from 11/7/06

Duplicate messages when downloading email from Outlook Express
--Mail Box Index is probably damaged; see
--Microsoft article
--Vicman.net

Macerena -- possible OS X Virus

Black Friday newspaper ads

Securely erase a hard drive
--mireth.com
--search VersionTracker

Test Trap spyware changed my desktop background
--It may be Active Desktop

URLs from 11/7/06

Duplicate messages when downloading email from Outlook Express
--Mail Box Index is probably damaged; see
--Microsoft article
--Vicman.net

Macerena -- possible OS X Virus

Black Friday newspaper ads

Securely erase a hard drive
--mireth.com
--search VersionTracker

Test Trap spyware changed my desktop background
--It may be Active Desktop

URLs from 10/31/06

Happy Halloween! Not too many issues today, but here are a couple:

126 Gig Hard drive problem

Keeping hackers out of your computer

URLs from 10/24/06

Recycling news: Dell Computers is hosting a free recycling event on November 4th from 9am to 3pm. It will be at their facility off I-75 near Cincinnati. Initial reports suggested that all brands of computing equipment would be accepted, but the Dell web site appears to indicate otherwise. We are attempting to confirm the status. No electronic gear. 9701 Windish Rd, West Chester (use the Union Centre exit from I-75; Google 'dell computer west chester oh' for a map).

Quad Boot Macintosh with 4 operating systems

New release of Firefox Web Browser

Changing the default application in Macintosh OS X

External hard drive adapters:
--byteccusa.com
--wiebetech.com
--cwol.com
--informit.com
--wikihow.com

How to remove Norton Antivirus Suite

Reverse lookup (to find out if an IP address has a DNS name)
--psacake.com
--arin.net

Norton 2007 not compatible with Spybot -- solution

URLs from 10/17/06

Bryan Powell's website recommendations
--daringfireball.net
--www.internet-nexus.com

Tutorial for C++

Playing VCDs on DVD players
--www.videohelp.com/vcd
--answers.yahoo.com/

Free Midi Software

Backup Software

Web site we use:
--Annoyances Windows
--Versiontracker
--Daring fireball
--Edmonds
--Macbytes

Game Design
--http://www.amazon.com/Macromedia-Flash-Game-Design-Demystified/dp/0201770210
--http://3d-game-design.internaldrive.com/
--http://www.digitalmediaacademy.org/courses/game-design-training.html
--http://www.cprogramming.com/tutorial.html
--http://www.bunchball.com/devnet/resources.html
--http://www-cs-students.stanford.edu/~amitp/gameprog.html
--http://www.deitel.com/computergames/gameprogramming/
--http://dmoz.org/Games/Video_Games/Game_Design/Resources/
--http://www.gdse.com/
--http://www.tutorialized.com/tutorials/C-and-Cpp/Games-and-Entertainment/1
--http://triplebuffer.devmaster.net/links.php

URLs from 10/10/06

Use Symantec Ghost to create an image of your entire hard drive -- useful for backups

Noisy hard drive

Getting files from Windows 98 machine using a flash drive

Fixing a Windows modem problem -- modem does not appear to be working

Add a firewall by using a hardware router for a broadband connection

White square suddenly appearing in upper left corner of desktop

How can I find out what are all of the processes I see in my task manager?
--Google.com
--Liutilities.com

Internet explorer 7 has just been released as a critical update

URLs from 10/3/06

Security Update for Windows XP Service Pack 2 (KB925486)
--A security issue has been identified in the way Vector Markup Language (VML) is handled that could allow an attacker to compromise a computer running Microsoft Windows and gain control over it. You can help protect your computer by installing this update from Microsoft.

More on restoring clogged Canon print cartridges -- listener Lee in Clayton disagreed with some of last week's info and gave several tips:

• Remove the ink tanks from the print head.
• Removed the print heads.
• Take a paper towel and fold it over to 4 thickness and soak it with tap water.
• Place the towel on a surface such as a dinner plate.
• Set the print head on the towel with the copper jets against the towel.
• Let it sit overnight.
• Air dry. Whatever, never never never ever rub anything over the jets on the print head.
• Reinstall and run the head cleaning several times until you get printing.
  

Lee comments that because Canon uses very tiny droplets of ink, 3rd-party cartridges can cause problems. Consider using only Canon cartridges (neither Lee nor we get any funds from Canon).

Sources for freeware or shareware
--IUseThis.com (Mac)
--VersionTracker.com (Mac, PC, Linux, Palm)
--download.com (Mac)

Macintosh tutorials for new users

Syncronizing (SYNC) Folders for the Mac
--via VersionTracker.com
--QuickSync

Resetting an iPod

Converting Cassettes to CDs- How to

URLs from 9/26/06

New Microsoft IE vulnerability could get early patch
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/5377802.stm

Windows 98 won't Shut Down properly
--From PC World
--From Microsoft.com
--More from Microsoft.com

Apple Airport Security Update

A British take on Silicon Valley: In Search of the Valley

Clean Clogged Canon inkjet
--We don't know if this method works and so cannot endorse it. An emailer today also suggested soaking the print cartridge head overnight in a solution of half-ammonia, half water. The easiest and probably safest solution is just to buy a new print cartridge.

Use Audacity software to digitize Lps (or cassettes).
--Don't forget you need a pre-amp to boost turntable signals.
--See also our blog item from 8/29/06.
--For Mac users, a caller also reports that GarageBand can do the job.

Clamav account in Mac OS X
--This is generated as part of an anti-virus software for the Mac called Clam AntiVirus (which we have not reviewed). We presume someone installed it on purpose on your machine. If you want to remove it, check their web site.

Great list of Windows "Run" Commands

Windows users, don't forget about the Run option in the start menu. You can also pull up the "run" command box by pressing the Windows Key + "R." From here you can initiate a lot of useful coommands. For a complete list, click here.

URLs from 9/19/06

Trojan/Linkoptimizer removal; also:
--anandtech.com
--castlecops.com
--Stinger

Is Apple's iTV a good idea? One negative view

Office 2007 info for the Mac

Anti-Spyware Guide

Windows 98 reboots instead of shutting down
--microsft.com
--5starsupport.com

URLs from 9/12/06

How secure is eBay bidder information?
--We talked with a caller who was contacted by a seller after he had changed his eBay email and password. We concluded that his eBay profile probably did not suppress his email address, and it should be updated. Anyone with concerns about security and phishing (phony offers, usually emails, that try to capture sensitive financial information) should look at antiphishing.org

Recovering files from damaged hard drives:
Recovery only Programs:
--FileSalvage (Mac)
--Data Rescue (Mac)
--Virtual labs (Mac & PC) -- a recovery program, pay as you go
--Data Rescue (PC)

Hard drive Recovery Utilities

Beginners Guide to hard disk recovery

Hard disk data recovery myths

Getting the Volume control back in the task bar

URLs from 9/5/06

What End Users Hate About IT Professionals

Epson software for Intel Macs

Slow wireless, but wired connection is fine
--Use war driving software to see if there's a channel conflict from another wireless node in your neighborhood

Sources for used Mac Laptops
--macofalltrades.com
--dvwarehouse.com
--Ebay

AirLink 101/Macintosh wireless problems:
--First turn off security, and test ethernet connection directly to make sure it is working. When trying wireless check Network in System preferences to see if you are getting a valid IP address. More . . .

Spam Filtering programs for the Macintosh

Epson all in one intel Mac Support
--Check for updated drivers

URLs from 8/29/06

Sharing files between Windows 98 & XP computers on the same network

How to start Windows in safe mode

A caller wanted to know why her roommate could log her PC into a network, but she couldn't log in with her Mac. One answer is to use the PC password preceded by the $ sign -- this lets the Mac know the password is a hexadecimal number.
--What are hexidecimal numbers?

Recording LPs to CDs
--Here's a tutorial
--Digitizing LPs or Records
--a turntable that you can plug into your sound card

Mac backup software: SuperDuper

War driving software lets you find local wireless networks

Now it's Apple's Turn- Huge Battery Recall for Apple Notebooks

In a relative sense, this is probably on a larger scale then Dell's, with 1.8 million batteries eligible for replacement. As with the Dell recall, the batteries were manufactured by Sony. Sony has stated this will be the last major recall of batteries they produced.

Follow this link to see if your previous G4 or iBook G4 battery is eligible

Apple's statement reads:

Apple has determined that certain lithium-ion batteries containing cells manufactured by Sony Corporation of Japan pose a safety risk that may result in overheating under rare circumstances.

The affected batteries were sold worldwide from October 2003 through August 2006 for use with the following notebook computers: 12-inch iBook G4, 12-inch PowerBook G4 and 15-inch PowerBook G4.

Apple is voluntarily recalling the affected batteries and has initiated a worldwide exchange program to provide eligible customers with a new replacement battery, free of charge. This program is being conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and other international safety authorities.

URLs from August 22, 2006

Crucial Mac software: College Edition: One person's opinion

Laptop Security programs that help you track & protect your laptop
--LaptopSecuritySolutions
--Absolute.com
--Trackion.com
--ComputerSecurity.com

Bandwidth Speed Test

Secure erase your hard drive
--Windows
--Mac

Restoring a hard drive:
--We recommend Norton Ghost

URLs from 8/15/06

Dell Battery Recall Program -- see also our separate entry

University of Michigan Consumer Satisfaction Survey
--Apple & Dell improve their ratings

Importing booksmarks from Explorer into Safari:
--activate the Debug Men, then use the import from the Debug Menu

Best type of cable for cable modem

Syncing the Apple Address Book with your cell phone:
--Check Apple's web site to see if your phone works with iSync
--Set up your phone with iSync
--If your phone is not supported try OnSync

Get rid of the 2 sec. gap between tracks on audio CDs burned from Nero
--This may work for Windows MediaPlayer, our original question

Massive Dell Battery Recall

Remember the exploding Dell computer form a while back? Dell has now issued a recall of 4 million laptop batteries, affecting some Inspiron, Latitude and Precision mobile workstations and XPS units shipped between April 2004 and July 18, 2006. This is by some reports the largest battery recall in history. Before the Mac users gloat, the batteries were manufactured by Sony.


To see if you qualify for a replacement, click here.

URLs from 8/8/06

Changing drive letter assignments:
--Windows 2000
--Windows XP and 2000 - Last resort

Getting rid of virus pop ups with Stinger

Microsoft's Content Advisor:
--Turn it off!
--How to remove it if you forgot the password

Joining Airport base stations:
--#1
--#2

Emily in Greensfork and Chris asked about various items -- ribbon cords and power cords. We did not mention this on the air but you can check MicroCenter, either the store at Mosteller and I-275 in Cincinnati or online.

URLs from 8/1/06

Power Mac fan won't turn off

iMac G5 repair extension program

URLs from 7/25/06

Windows Media components for Mac Quicktime

URLs from 7/18/06

Troubleshooting Windows XP Shutdown issues

Mac OS X: Viruses and Security

Here is an interesting post on Macs and Viruses from Symantec's site. The most salient point I want people to get:

"Simply put, at the time of writing this article, there are no file-infecting viruses that can infect Mac OS X."

That's a pretty amazing track record considering OS X was initially released in March of 2001. We often debate on the show about the state of Mac virus and malware threats. In my not so humble opinion, the only reason to have antivirus software at this time on a Mac OS X machine is to prevent spreading them to Windows users (and even then, it would have to be done manually by the user!).

URLs from 7/11/06

Invalid System Disk error help
---more help

Stand-alone installer of Windows XP Service Pack 2

Error Loading Operating System Message When You Restart Your Computer During Setup

PC Anywhere preventing Welcome Screen in Windows XP

Even Microsoft loves the new Macs ;)

Listeners may remember me saying the only computer to buy for a new student is an Intel based Mac because it can run Windows and the Mac OS. This picture show even Microsoft agrees with me. :)



This picture is a demo of Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 running on a Macbook Prop. Now THAT'S a ringing endorsement. More info can be found here.

Everyone, please have a safe and happy Independence Day!