Computer Quandaries
by Dale Atchison
Tampa Bay Computer Society


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.


My new all-in-one printer scans and copies, but it won't print from the computer.

Click on Start  »  Settings  »  Printers.  Make sure the all-in-one is selected as the default printer (as denoted by a white check mark in a black circle); if not, right-click its icon and select Set As Default Printer.

Right-click the printer icon, left-click Properties.  Click on the Ports tabs and check to see that the printer is set as a USB printer.  Click on the General tab, then click Print a Test Page.  Click OK, even if the page didn't print, then click OK again to exit.

If it still doesn't print, uninstall the printer, unplug the USB cable from the printer, plug in the printer driver CD, and install it again.  If it still doesn't print, call a tech (obviously, I recommend myself), or take it back to the store.


My printer keeps telling me to check the cartridge.  The black cartridge is new, and the color cartridge isn't even there --- it's still at Walgreens, getting refilled.

I believe the printer always tells you to check the cartridge if one of the cartridges isn't installed.  Don't worry about it until and unless you still get the warning after replacing the color cartridge.

[Note: with some brands of printer, there's a software switch in the 'printer toolbox' or printer control program that allows you to disable the cartridge warning if you're deliberately only using one cartidge.  There's too many brands and options for me to elaborate any further --- check your software.]


My son sent me a series of books via email.  Now my desktop looks like a picture puzzle.  How do I get the files into favorites, or documents?

Highlight several of the icons representing books, then right-click any one of the highlighted icons, and left-click Cut; click on Start, then right-click My Documents (in Vista, that's just Documents), and left-click Paste.  Repeat as necessary.


I loaded Easy Cleaner on my computer and utilized a couple of the features.  I am hesitant to run the Registry Cleaner module.  I do not know how to back up my registry, and until I figure that out, I am being cautious.

MY OPINION:

1.  You don't need to back up your Registry; Windows makes a new backup of it nearly every time you boot the computer.  If you ever need to restore from a backup, just boot to Safe Mode, log on as Administrator, and click No to start System Restore.  If you're still using Win 98, just boot to MSDOS mode and run Scanreg /Restore .

2.  I've been using EasyCleaner for at least 6 years now, and I have yet to see it damage anyone's Registry, including my own.

The primary things you need in EasyCleaner are Unnecessary Files and Registry.  Don't use Duplicate Files; while I'm sure it works as advertised, I don't agree with the need to remove duplicates --- seems to me the risk is too great that you will wipe a duplicate that needs to be exactly where it was.


I finally got Internet Explorer 7; once I'm comfortable with it, I'll upgrade again, to IE 8.  But first, where is the IE7 main menu bar?  And what became of my Favorites?

  click to PopUp a Larger Image
 
  click to PopUp a Larger Image
IE 7 (and 8) turn off the Menu Bar by default, to make more screen area available for viewing Web content (check out the top picure on the right).  You can make it visible whenever you need it by pressing either Alt key on your keyboard; press Alt again to hide the Menu bar and regain the screen area.

If you want the Menu Bar to be visible always, right-click a blank spot on the gray toolbar at the top of the screen and use the left mouse button to put a check mark next to Menu Bar (as in the bottom picture).

Your Favorites are right where they always were, you just get to them differently in IE 7.  Click on the gold star at the top left of the screen; Favorites will be one of the new menu headings that pop up just below the star.  It should also be in the Menu Bar, between View and Tools.


I'm trying to copy an email and paste it into Word.  It used to work, but now I get a message from Microsoft, telling me Word 2002 has expired, and I need to upgrade to the current version.

Something has gotten corrupted, or you wouldn't be having this problem.  Before I discovered Open Office, I used Office '97 with Win XP Pro, and I never got an error message about how old the software was.  If you have the Office CD, do a complete re-install.  If the install wizard stops and asks, tell it you want to repair or reinstall all components.  Make sure you have the security key that came with the CD!  If it won't let you do a repair installation, uninstall MS Office, reboot, then install Office again from scratch.  Or, you could install Open Office 2.0 if you're running Win 98 or ME, or Open Office 3 if you have XP or Vista.  Oops!, almost forgot to mention:  Open Office is free.

They've threatened to make Microsoft Office a subscription-type program, where you have to pay for it again every now and then, but so far, it's supposed to work forever, without any sort of subscriptions or renewals.

Thanks for Asking!

That's all for this month.  I welcome questions on any computer-related problems you might have.  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.