Subscriber Peter Dunckelmann wrote recently to ask about disconnecting and reconnecting his external hard drive from Windows using the “Safely Remove Hardware” function. Although I wrote back to Peterseveral times, he’s got a Yahoo account, and Yahoo rejected my emails to him — it accepted some other emails I sent, so it just looks like Yahoo email is having some problems.

Hi Terry

When clicking the Safely Remove Hardware icon in the taskbar and removing a storage device, such as a USB external hard drive, but not unplugging the device, the icon of that particular device disappears from the desktop and seems inaccessible. The question is, how can I re-enable the removed but still plugged-in device? I am using WIN Vista Ultimate.

Thanking you in advance

Regards
Peter

The answer is relatively simple, but probably is not the one for which Peter was hoping…

Continue reading Re-connecting after using Safely Remove Hardware

Like many of the other downloadable programs that are designed to scan and fix computer problems, Optimize 2.0 from PC Pitstop is a program that can be run on schedule to routinely check for and fix problems, or can be run on request to fix and find problems.

Of course, the most significant value will be in the optimizations and repairs it makes on its very first running — optimizing your Internet access settings, checking startup programs, cleaning and repairing the Windows registry, and cleanup of junk files.

While some types of programs like antispyware and antivirus let you have fully-functional trial versions, programs that make repairs to your computer can’t afford to give free trials. Whether you are considering Spinrite 6 from Gibson Research (a hard drive recovery utility) or a Windows registry cleaner program, if there was a free fully-functional trial — no one would ever buy a copy — they’d just download a trial if they had a problem!

The solution for many of these products is to provide a scanner program that will scan your computer, tell you that it found a bunch of things to change, but will only make the repairs if you buy a license.

Does that sound unreasonable? If so, compare it to buying software in a retail box — most retailers will not accept returns of opened software, so you have no way to see it work. I wish I’d been able to see some of the games I’ve bought before spending my money.

Optimize 2.0 goes the extra mile — in the unregistered scanner mode, Optimize 2.0 shows you the changes it would make! It does not just show you the categories of changes that it would make, if you buy a license. This way, if you know what you’re doing and want to take the time, you can make the changes manually.

In the first screen shot below, we see the display after Optimize has done its first scan of my notebook computer (my main computer). The blue “Next” button at the bottom right is the next step…

Continue reading A Look Inside PCPitstop Optimize 2.0

Download the Optimize 2.0 Scanner

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Occasionally when I’m installing a new program, or updating an existing program, I run into a special issue. Yes, that’s probably the right term for it — when my security software does exactly what it’s supposed to do — and blocks the software installation or upgrade/update.

Such was the case this week with the surprise update from Microsoft called .NET Service Pack 1.

I tried to install it on my desktop computer and on my wife’s computer. In both cases, the installatiton failed and didn’t bother to tell me why it failed, just that it had. In both cases, I had started the update and left the room, so I didn’t get to see any warning messages that may have occurred.

Anyway, my favorite anti-spyware/anti-adware program CounterSpy v2 prevented the .NET service pack from changing all the files that it wanted to change. I had CounterSpy set for some aggresive control by setting its Active Protection function to Cautious (the choices are Paranoid, Cautious, Trusting and Custom) and putting checkmarks on all the options.

Continue reading Problems with Program Installs and Updates

Reader Russ Tinley wrote about a strange problem he was having:

Terry, My computer is connected to a Verizon DSL Modem, and everytime I connect the modem to my PC I get a blue screen and the system reboots. I called Verizon and they replaced my Modem but it still does it. So I called adn they said that my computer must be the problem, so just to test it I plugged my Notebook directly to the DSL modem and same blue screen. I called Verizon and they are giving me the run around saying it is my hard ware. Can you give me any tips on what I should look for or how to work with Verizon to get this corrected. Thank you, Russ

Russ had a strange problem. But, let’s look at the pieces:

1. the original modem caused the bluescreen/reboot on your desktop.
2. Verizon replaced the modem
3. The desktop still does it with the new modem.
4. The notebook also does it when connected to the modem.

So, you’ve got two computers doing it with two modems.

Continue reading HOWTO: Stopping Blue Screen of Death Reboots

I recently updated from NOD32 version 2.7 to the latest v3.0. I found that Eset has dramatically simplified the structure of the NOD32 controls. They had been criticized in the past as creating a great product for advanced PC users.

The new version has a simplified “Standard Mode” that is much easier to use.

The Advanced Mode is still there — a simple click on the “Display: Standard mode” in the bottom left-hand corner will let you toggle into Advanced mode to enable control of many more options.

Upgrading from a previous version was easy. I uninstalled the older version, rebooted, and installed the new version. Many anti-virus programs work this way, since some of their components are installed during early parts of the Windows boot process — and not changeable without a reboot.

Then, installing was straight forward.

Once NOD32 is running, the first screen displayed is the Protection Status screen. If all is well, you see a display with a green monitor labelled Maximum Protection. If any features have been turned off or disabled…

Continue reading NOD32 Antivirus Version 3.0 Review

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