IT Queries: Computer problems answered

I’ve been told some of my software won’t run on my new computer because it is running 64 bit Windows. How do I find out which version of Windows I am running?

To find out if your computer is running a 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows in Windows 7 or Windows Vista, click the Start button , right-click Computer, and then click Properties.

Under the System tab, you’ll see which version you are running.

If your computer is running Windows XP, click Start, right-click My Computer, and click Properties. If “x64 Edition” is listed under System, you’re running the 64-bit version of Windows XP, if there is no mention of “x64″ then you’re running 32 bit Windows XP.

When ever I try to open anything in windows media player it freezes the computer and the only way to do make it respond is to shut down computer with power button on computer.

The first thing to do is clean up your computer as it may well be something lurking in your temporary files which is upsetting Media Player.

Should the problem continue, you may have to reinstall Windows Media Player. Open the Control Panel and click Add/Remove Programs, or Programs in Windows Vista, and select Internet Explorer.

To right of the selection there are two buttons; change and remove. Click the Change button and follow the wizard to repair the existing installation.

I forgot my password to my computer and I have no way of accessing it so now I do not know how to log on is there anyway to unlock my computer?

There are a couple of programs that will reset your password, Peter Nordhal’s NT Password reset and The Emergency Boot CD. Both of these work by creating a Linux boot disk that can access and reset the relevant Windows settings.

They are difficult tools to use though and not recommended for inexperienced users. We’d recommend you call an experienced computer technician to do this for you.

Also keep in mind if you have an encrypted files you’ll almost certainly be unable to open them so be very careful before using these tools.

I bought a Mac because I was fed up with my kids infecting the family computer. Now I’m reading Macs may be more vulnerable because virus writers attack popular computer systems. Is this true and should I get an anti virus for my Mac?

The short answer is “no”. The “big target” story is peddled by people who either have no understanding of computer security or have an interest in selling anti virus software.

In reality the bad guys go for the easy targets and in the world of computer security there’s no easier target than Windows.

In a recent Security Intelligence Report, Microsoft pointed out the first version of Windows XP was by far the most susceptible to viruses. This was due to lousy security (the built in firewall was disabled in XPs early versions) and countless security bugs.

But the main reason for Windows being the malware writers’ favourite operating system is Microsoft’s decision to let Windows users run as Administrators with full control over changing system settings and install software.

Most other operating systems, including Apple OSX, insist users run in without the ability to change system settings.

This fundamental flaw leaves most Windows users wide open to malware infections. Virus and spyware writers just have to get access to the machine and simply visiting a website offering free games, pornography or music lyrics is enough to get many systems infected.

While it is important to take security seriously on all operating systems, including Linux and OS X, by making sure you update security patches and keep your system behind a firewall, Windows has the biggest problems.

Don’t be panicked by ignorant or dishonest advice.

Where the deleted matter goes after deleting a file? i know it goes in the recycle bin but even after deleting from there where does that file goes. is there any software incorporated in the system which receives the file or whatever the reason is please clear the doubts.

When you empty the recycle bin on a Windows computer the files don’t actually go anywhere. Instead Windows adds a character, usually shown as the “$” sign, to the beginning of the file’s name. This marks it as unreadable to the computer.

Because the computer doesn’t see those files it thinks the space on the hard drive is empty and eventually the files are overwritten by newer information.

The problem is that leaves a period where they can be recovered. A good tool for doing this is the Restoration program which we’ve discussed previously in our Recovering Deleted Files post.

If you are concerned about fully removing deleted files, then you’ll need a “shredder” program such as Eraser which we looked at in our Clearing Out a Computer post.

Eraser is a very powerful tool which will clean up deleted files but be careful because if you click the wrong button, you may wipe the entire computer.

I’ve read I should use a different browser to Internet Explorer because of its security problems. Which one should I use?

Internet Explorer is the web browser built into Windows. Because of the way Microsoft have set it up, it is particularly prone to security problems.

To make things worse Internet Explorer is a fundamental part of Windows so any problem with IE becomes a problem for your entire system.

So regardless of the current security scare it’s a good idea to use an alternative to Internet Explorer and there are plenty of options.

Mozilla Firefox

The most popular alternative browser is Mozilla Firefox. You can download a free a copy from the Mozilla website.

Opera

One of the longest established alternative browsers, Opera tends to be the cutting edge browser, while it’s not for everyone it’s fast, stable and is also a free download.

Google Chrome

A new alternative is Google’s web browser. It’s fast but it does do things a bit differently from the others. You can get this free from Google’s website.

Apple Safari

If you use a Mac then the Safari browser is included with your system. Windows users can download a free version from Apple.

All of these alternatives are perfectly good for general web browsing. It’s best to try each and use the one you find works best for you.

Unfortunately you can’t completely get rid of Internet Explorer. Not only is it a integral part of Windows, but some web sites won’t work properly on anything else, so reserve IE for those sites that require it and use an alternative for the rest of the web.