IT Queries: Computer problems answered

Also since my computer crashed when opening an e-mail in Outlook Express it opens to a small screen size instead of full size. Is it possible to set the default to full screen?

It certainly is. Open Outlook Express then resize the screen while holding down the Ctrl key. Close it and reopen and that will fix the problem.

Is it possible to have the default for all files in my Documents and elsewhere to appear in the list option?  This used to happen but since my computer crashed it now defaults to icons and I find them hard to rcognise.  I know that I can chance them BUT I hope that there is a way to set the default.

First get the view you want. Open My Computer, click View and select either List or Details.

Then click Tools, Folder Options and the View tab. Click the Apply to all folders button.

My daughter who currently lives in Australia is going to America to study for 12 months.  Is there any problem with her buying a computer in the US and bringing it back to Australia?  Will it be compatible with Australian conditions, particularly DVD’s etc.?

There’s a couple of tricks to watch: Warranties, DVD-Regions and voltages are the three main problems.

Voltage

The biggest problem with taking computers between countries is the different voltages; the US has 110v, most of Europe and Asia 220v, and a few oddities like Australia and India on 240v.

If your daughter is buying a laptop computer, it’s not such a problem as the power packs in portable computers are designed to deal with this. Desktop computers usually require flicking a switch on the back to change between voltages although some might need their power supplies replaced at around $100.

DVD regions

Regional encoding on DVDs is a nuisance designed to rip off consumers. Most computers allow you to change international DVD zones a number of times, usually four or six. You can obtain software programs that ignore or override these restrictions.

Incidentally DVD regional zoning is illegal in Australia.

Warranties

Getting post sales support for computers purchased overseas can be a big problem, particularly for laptops. However there are brands that will provide extended international warranties.

We strongly recommend three year warranties for all computers and paying the extra is well worthwhile.

Generally we find the hassle of buying computers overseas generally isn’t worth the small price differences for most people. But if your daughter is living in the US for a year then it’s probably a good idea to buy a system shortly after she arrives.

I have just bought a laptop that comes with Vista. I am having trouble downloading my old Blackberry Curve 8310 Driver into the new laptop, and hence have not been able to sync with Microsoft Outlook to stay on top my of schedules efficiently.

It can be a bit tricky setting up the software to work on Vista. It’s not actually the drivers that cause the problem, but the installation program for the Blackberry Desktop Manager that tries to find a program that isn’t always installed on Vista.

To fix this first download the latest Blackberry Desktop Manager.

Then click the Start button, select find and type regsvr32 vbscript.dll. You’ll be asked a number of times for your Administrator password by Vista .

Reboot your computer and install the Desktop Manager software.

Plug in your Blackberry and it should work fine.

Whenever I click any drive (C: or D: ) to open, it asks me to choose a programme to open the file (drive), is this some virus?

No, the problem is more mundane. You have inf files in the root directory of the drives. Inf files are used to run programs when you open a drive or folder. It’s how CDs run automatically when you put them into your Windows computer.

In your case some of these inf files have found their way onto the C: and D: drives, probably through a mistake while downloading or opening files.

To fix this, simply search your hard drives for any files finishing in .inf and rename them to something like .in0.  Remember you should only rename the files you find in the root directory and not in any subdirectories or you may find programs might stop working.

I have Windows XP Pro, SP2. On startup I get the error: “Windows cannot load the user’s profile but has logged you on with the default profile for the system.” “Insufficient system resources exist to complete the required service.”

This happens to all users when computer is first started. Then try restart and same problem. Tried shut down, reboot and still same problem.

The problem is caused by Windows not being able to open the user profiles on the computer. This is often due to damage on the hard drive.

Our first suggestion would be to back up all important data and then scan the drive for errors. If bad blocks are found during the scan, you’ll need to replace the hard drive.

Checking for malware is another useful step which may resolve the “insufficient system resources” error but usually doesn’t cause the profile problem.

If problems continue, the next step is to create a new user in the system and see if the problem continues. If it does, there may be user permission issues on the Documents and Settings folder and it’s probably best to contact a repair service to see about resolving this problem.

Uninstall a W98 to WXP OS upgrade.

Many thanks in advance

Yikes! This is a lot of trouble for an old computer.

The problem appears to be that you have some old programs that were installed to the wrong location that have been subsequently deleted. It might be best to run the Windows Installer Repair Tool and  then run a registry cleaner.

If you still want to uninstall Windows XP then you should continue right past the message where you stopped. The Windows Updates are irrelevant to Windows 98.

You may find however that Window 98 won’t work properly after you’ve uninstalled as, depending upon the choices you made during the installations, there may be shared components.

If you are determined to reinstall Windows 98 and then XP, then it’s probably going to be quicker and easier just to back up your data, reformat your hard drive and start with a fresh install. Your computer will love you for it and the system will be far quicker.

Overall though, this computer is old. In human terms, it’s pushing 120 years old. The poor beast is probably due for retirement.

Keep in mind that, like all old technology, the costs of keeping it running are often higher than the costs of a new system.

Thank you for your quick response to our hotmail question. Can you please tell me how it is possible for someone to hijack an email address? We have changed the password, and checked for viruses(none). Thanks again.

Unfortunately there’s no one answer to this. The most common answer is they have simply guessed, many people’s passwords simply aren’t very secure.

Other ways are users not logging out of public computers at places like Internet cafes, airport lounges and business centres properly, which gives others the opportunity to log in.

In other cases it might be that family members or former work colleagues have known you passwords and accidentally given them away.

The worse case scenarios are that someone has hacked your computer or Internet connection and was able to extract your passwords.

Finally, it could be simply poor security at the email providers end. Some systems have bugs that let bad guys crack the passwords, although we haven’t had any reports of recent problems at Hotmail.

Overall though it pays to be a touch paranoid with your passwords. They are too valuable to lose.

We have a computer which we are intending to sell. Could you please advise how to clear the hard drive of all info prior to selling?

The answer depends on who you are selling it to and what state you want it in when it’s sold.

You can wipe the computer hard drive completely, repartition the drive and reinstall the operating system. This is a long winded way of doing things however it’s probably the best if you are selling it on the open market. It also requires some degree of computer knowledge.

A quicker fix is to simply delete the user profiles currently on the system.

In Windows go to the Control Panel, click User Accounts and add a new user. Choose to make the user an Administrator. Log off and log back on as the new user,  go back to the user accounts and delete the accounts you currently use, choose to delete all user data when it asks you.

On the Mac, go into System Preferences and open the Accounts settings. Create a new user and give them rights to adminsister the computer. Log off and log back on as the new user and go back to the accounts. Select the user accounts you want to delete, then click Delete then Delete Immediately.

On both systems you’ll need to explore the hard drive to see if any applications have left data in other locations. Some programs, particularly accounting packages, have a habit of not storing data in the user folders.

Once you’ve deleted the data, you may want to ensure it’s securely deleted by running erasing software across the hard drives. Free programs include Eraser for Windows and Permanent Eraser for the Mac.

Remember to make sure any important data has been backed up before you do any of this.

How can someone send an e mail using my hotmail account to all my contacts when I did not send it?
It has then deleted all my contacts? What should I do ?

Your account has been hijacked. You must change your password immediately. In fact you change all your passwords for websites and computers.

The new passwords you choose should be complex, long and use a combination of letters and numbers. Our sister website, PC Rescue, has hints on how to put one together that you can remember.

It’s also important to check your computer hasn’t been compromised by checking for viruses and Trojans. You should also monitor your bank accounts for suspicious activity.

This all sounds paranoid, and it probably is, but you can’t take risks with your online security.