Here are questions from some of my clients and TBCS members, along with the best answers I could give them; most of my answers were arrived at by searching the Internet using Google.   In those cases where I say things nice or otherwise about a particular program, please note that I'm expressing only my opinion, and not necessarily that of TBCS, its members, or its board of directors.

I use WinPatrol, per your suggestion.  I heard the little Scottie dog bark this morning, and a box popped open, with the following message displayed:

A new Auto Startup Program has been detected.
Type: RunOnce
Often required for software updates and new installation
This program will only run once, the next time you restart your computer.

Do you approve the addition of this program startup setting?
Press Yes if this program is expected and acceptable.

Hewlett-Packard Spawn Application

c:\hp\bin\spawn.exe c:\windows\system32\pcintro\autorun.exe c:\windows\sys...

version 1,0,0,0

Depends...  Had you just installed a new piece of HP software, or a software update for your all-in-one printer?  If so, the message is expected, and you should say Yes.  If the message was a complete surprise, say No, and see if the hardware works okay anyway — you can always go back and do the update again if it turns out you needed it.

When I go to Start  »  Control Panel  »  Add or Remove Programs to remove something, can I save it to a disc somehow before I delete it (in case I should want to re-install at another time)?

Sorry, but no.  You can however, save the original downloaded installation or setup file to a CD.

I am trying to download the free Spybot program.  When I get to the end, they want $20 to install.  Is a free version no longer available?  I have AVG and Ad-Aware, which both run fine.

The free version of Spybot Search & Destroy is still out there; I think they're up to version 1.6.  But is it possible you're trying to download and install a different program that only included the word Spybot in their name to trick you out of your cash?

Besides, now that the latest versions of AVG and avast! include spyware protection, I don't use Spybot or Ad-Aware any more.  I already have avast! 4.8 and WinPatrol 15 watching for spyware; I think that's more than enough protection.

My brand new Compaq Presario desktop can't read or write to the DVD-RW drive.  I called Compaq Tech Support, thinking it would be as simple as sending a tech out to fix it; instead, the tech on line (FROM INDIA) told me to start doing some things on the computer, the first of which was to disable Norton.  I explained that I did not have Norton on my computer, so he said 'fine' and had me go to Start and I want to say, (not sure) go to Programs and a few other clicks.  Then he had me "enable" something.  At that point I lost connection PLUS I realized this was going to take much more time than I had at that moment.  I already had been on several minutes (like 20) and I told him I would have to call back with the same case number.  Since that point, however, I have not been able to get online.  Every time I try, I get an AOL warning message about my firewall blocking it from the Internet.  HELP!

Sounds like he had you turn on the Windows Firewall; AOL doesn't always play well with it, unless you're also running Port Magic (which comes free with AOL 9.0).  It's possible to set 'exceptions' so AOL will work thru the Windows firewall, but it's much simpler to 'backstep' to just before you made the changes, using Windows' System Restore:
Start  »  All Programs  »  Accessories  »  System Tools  »  Restore My Computer to an Earlier Time  »  pick the last Restore Point BEFORE Compaq's changes  »  Next.  After the computer reboots, you should have your Internet back.

Next, call Compaq back.  Tell them you won't make any more changes to your computer at their uninformed behest.  Insist they mail you a new DVD-RW drive immediately; I'll come install it when it gets here, gratis (see next paragraph).  They can even have the old drive back, shipped collect, of course.  Tell a supervisor the problems you've had getting this taken care of.  If all else fails, ask for a trouble resolution contact number in the US, and conference me in on that call — I'll tell them myself how poorly they've performed, what the problem is, and what they need to do to fix it.

My apologies to you for the hassle.  I recommended you buy the Compaq, based more on their great tech support than any other factor, and they've certainly put the lie to that.  (Though, in the tech's defense, you should never stop part-way thru a repir, and expect everything to work like it should.  Shoulda' let him finish.  I'm just sayin'...)

All of a sudden, my scanner has decided it doesn't want to communicate with the computer.  Can you please tell me where to start to troubleshoot this?  Nothing has changed — I just used it yesterday.

Turn off the computer and the scanner.  Make sure the USB cable between the two units is plugged in good and solid at both ends.  Make sure the power cord is plugged in all the way at the scanner and the power strip, and that the power strip is turned on.  Turn the scanner on first, wait a few seconds, then turn on the computer.  After bootup is complete, if the scanner still doesn't work, move the USB plug coming from the scanner to another USB hole on the computer.

If it still doesn't work, you need to uninstall and reinstall the drivers:
Start  »  Control Panel  »  System  »  Hardware  »  Device Manager.  Find and highlight the entry for your scanner, and click on Action  »  Uninstall.  Reboot the computer, and when Windows asks for the scanner CD, plug it in.  If Windows doesn't ask, either the scanner or its power supply has gone bad; for the cost of a replacement scanner, it's not worth trying to repair either — just go get a new scanner.