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Let’s start off with a warning this month: Go right this minute and download and install ALL the critical updates from www.windowsupdate.microsoft.com. Don’t take for granted that your Automatic Updates settings are taking care of this task for you; every now and then, you should go to the website and scan manually to be sure you’re up-to-date.
There’s a particularly nasty problem with the Server function, just recently discovered and fixed. I recommend to everyone that they turn off the Server service using MSCONFIG. However, I read the Microsoft Knowledge Base write-up, and I can’t tell if that will protect you from this latest fault; I’ll assume not and recommend you apply the fix anyway. (BTW, if you are running Server on a computer that doesn’t actually act as a file or print server to other computers on your network, WHY IS THAT? Go into MSCONFIG » Services and disable it, NOW!) On to the questions... |
DaLe, For the past couple of months, I’ve been getting this error message on my screen:
Thanks for your help. Marc Marc, I did a Google search for TrayApp; the first hit I got seems to be your problem. Do you have an HP printer? Did you recently try to install or upgrade it? If so, that's it. Put the HP printer driver CD in the drive and reboot your computer. If it doesn't finish the install and never give you the problem again, email me again and we'll dig deeper. And if your printer isn’t HP, do you maybe have any graphics or imaging software from HP, like Image Zone? If so, either insert the install CD to complete the installation, or use Control Panel » Add/Remove Programs to uninstall. Either way, the error message should go away. DaLe
(He found four unfinished installs of HP imaging software, removed them, problem solved. Once again, props to Google.)
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Hi, DaLe. Can you tell me (in the simplest possible language) how to cut and paste? I keep getting requests to cut and paste items and have no idea how to do that. The help file assumes that one knows more than I. Best regards, and thank you. Charlie Charlie,
DaLe
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Dale, I made this banner up and sent a copy to a friend to see if he wants me to add more names to it. Unfortunately, he can't open it. What must I do to make it work? Ray [Attached file: Miracles.pdb] Ray, I couldn't open it either. From the extension, .pdb, I figure it was made with Print Shop Deluxe. You need to open it in the program that made it, then click on File » Save As, and see if you can't save it as a JPEG or PDF file; everyone can read those. If Save As isn't available, try Export — I know Print Shop can export to JPEG. And send me a copy of the JPEG, too. I'd like to see it.
DaLe
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Dale, I purchased and installed the Norton AntiVirus 2006 package when my 2005 subscription ran out. It's been working fine. But now, in the last two days, when I try to sign in to Word, I get a warning:
Thanks, Terrie Terrie, I Google’d your error message and got this link to the Norton page about your problem. Apparently, you have to create (or create again) a directory tree that Norton should have created for you; either Norton didn’t do it right the first time, or the folders have been deleted. Specifically, you need to ensure that the folders
IMHO, a much better fix would be to uninstall all Norton products from your computer, and install the free programs listed below; between them, they do a much better job of protecting your computer than Norton does, and without the loss of performance. (Norton is a resource hog. In my experience, it slows your computer, and it causes problems with other programs, as you now well know. I remove it from the computers of all my clients who will allow it.) Go to my Downloads page, and download and install...
DaLe
BTW, please don't let anyone push you into installing Microsoft Defender. It's another free anti-spyware program, and it's not awful, but it is still in 'beta', and it doesn't protect any better than the two anti-spyware programs listed above. And it’s ‘real-time protection’ doesn’t stop and ask you whether it’s okay to allow changes to your startup files, it just pops up a notice telling you what changes it already allowed (without asking for your permission!). In my opinion, WinPatrol does a much better job in this respect.
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Till next month, y’all keep emailing me your computer questions, and I’ll respond with the best advice I can dream up or steal.
I’m still giving away my free Utilities CD. It includes all the free software I recommend to all my clients and in these monthly columns. Just send me an email, and we’ll figger out where and when to drop you off a copy, at no charge, in the Clearwater area. If you aren't in these environs, I can mail you a CD, but there will be a $4 charge - paid via Money Order only - to cover postage, materials, and bother. Let me know if you’re running Windows 95, 98, or ME, and I’ll make the CD bootable, so that you can scan a FAT-16 or FAT-32 hard drive for viruses, even if it won’t start Windows or DOS.
I found a program from Germany that will let you scan an NTFS disk from a Win98 bootable CD, but they haven’t responded to my request for permission to distribute it, so I can't include it on the CD. However, I will include a link to the software, and detailed instructions on how to make your own NTFS boot floppy, all in strict accordance with their license.
Thanks.
"Computer Quandaries" was a column I wrote for Bits & Bytes, the online newsletter of the Tampa Bay Computer Society, from March 2006 thru April 2010. When I became the BnB editor, I split it into two separate columns: "Computer Quandaries" was the Q & A or Help Desk portion of the original column, while "Hints Tips & Rants" was the collection of random thoughts that had previously been tacked on as an afterthought. When I gave up the editor job, I took both columns with me, to post on my website and/or blog.
See you next month. Please email your questions to DaLe@ComputerRepairShop.biz |
I send these guys a few dollars every month... sure wish you would join me.
And 100% of your labor charges go to this rescue, too.